They came, they saw and they conquered. The French squadron was the largest national group at Univela Sailing for the 2021 iQFOiL International Games and the one featuring some of the strongest athletes. Among them, Lucie Belbeoch and Nicolas Goyard who have been leading their respective ranking for most of the week and sailed flawlessly in every one of the three formats of the iQFOiL Class, Course, Slalom and Marathon. The rest of the podium for the Women is composed by Islay Watson (GBR) second and Delphine Cousin (FRA) third, while in the Men’s the second is Huig-Jan Tak (NED) and the third Matthew Barton (GBR).

https://youtu.be/teQTXnGnvlE

The revolutionary format always ends with a spectacular day of three Medal Races for the best twelve athletes of each fleet. Today, after a very short postponement ashore, the North wind built to 10-12 knots and allowed very fast and exciting quarters, semis and finals for both the Women and Men. Many French flags on the Men quarter final starting line: Ethan Westera (ARU), Elia Colombo (SUI), Alexandre Cousin (FRA), Oel Pouliquen (FRA), Nicolò Renna (ITA), Mathurin Jolivet (FRA), Max Castelein (NED) and Matthew Barton (GBR). Only four moved forward, Max Castelein, Mathurin Jolivet, Nicolò Renna and Matthew Barton, to join last night’s third and fourth in the semi, Clement Bourgeois (FRA) and 2020 winner Sebastian Koerdel (GER). The latter won the race and with Matthew Barton acceded to the final to meet yesterday’s first and second, respectively Nicolas Goyard and Huig-Jan Tak, who eventually confirmed their position welcoming Matthew Barton on the third step of the podium.

The girls in the quarter final were Marion Mortefon (FRA), Sara Wennekes (NED), Maja Natalia Dziamowska (POL), Daniela Peleg (ISR), Lena Erdil (GER), Manon Pianazza (FRA), Maya Morris (ISR) and Delphine Cousin (FRA). The last four were the fastest and went through to the semi to meet Lola Sorin (FRA) and Mariana Aguillar Chavez Peon (MEX). The French sailors, Lola Sorin and Delphine Cousin conquered the two available tickets to the semi, joining their countrywoman Lucie Belbeoch and British Islay Watson. Just like in the Men’s fleet, Lucie and Islay defended their positions, respectively first and second, with Delphine Cousin winning bronze.

To cap the day and the perfect week organized by Univela Sailing and Società Canottieri Garda e Salò with the patronage of Regione Lombardia, the rest of the sailors went out for a racing session with some slaloms in the early afternoon. This shaped the ranking from the 13th to the bottom and the podiums of the U21 athletes.

The flourishing Olympic iQFOiL Class squadron will now head into some training before the World Championship in Silvaplana, Switzerland, from 16 to 22 of August.


TOP 12 MEN
1st FRA465 Nicolas Goyard
2nd NED465 Huig-Jan Tak
3rd GBR983 Matthew Barton
4th GER220 Sebastian Koerdel
5th FRA53 Clement Bourgeois
6th NED36 Max Castelein U21
7th FRA9 Mathurin Jolivet
8th ITA150 Nicolo Renna U21
9th FRA10 Oel Pouliquen
10th FRA752 Alexandre Cousin
11th SUI63 Elia Colombo
12th ARU4 Ethan Westera

TOP 12 WOMEN
1st FRA18 Lucie Belbeoch
2nd GBR529 Islay Watson
3rd FRA775 Delphine Cousin
4th FRA31 Lola Sorin U21
5th ISR7 Maya Morris
6th FRA712 Manon Pianazza U21
7th GER33 Lena Erdil
8th MEX28 Mariana Aguilar Chavez Peon
9th ISR2 Daniela Peleg U21
10th POL7 Maja Natalia Dziarnowska
11th NED33 Sara Wennekes
12th FRA118 Marion Mortefon

U21 MEN
1st NED36 Max Castelein
2nd ITA150 Nicolo Renna
3rd FRA16 Yun Pouliquen
4th FRA628 Louis Pignolet
5th NED17 Joost Vink

U21 WOMEN
1st FRA31 Lola Sorin
2nd FRA712 Manon Pianazza
3rd ISR2 Daniela Peleg
4th NOR29 Helle Oppedal
5th FRA11 Marion Couturier


Full results here:
Men
http://www.extremience.com/results/2021IQFoilGardaMen.htm
Women
http://www.extremience.com/results/2021IQFoilGardaWomen.htm


For more information:
Rachele Vitello
IQFoil International Games Communication
rachele.vitello@gmail.com


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