2024 Formula Kite Youth European Championships in Torregrande, Italy - Day 1
by Chris Museler, IKA 9 Oct 17:40 UTC
9-13 October 2024
Lucas Fonseca [BRA] ends the day in 3rd with his new Levitaz R6 foil - Formula Kite Youth European Championships, day 1 © IKA Media / Robert Hajduk
Life was good at the beach here in Torre Grande on the island of Sardinia, and the women and men riders on day one of the Formula Kite Youth European Championships showed that there was no day light between them and the top riders in the world.
The latest kites and foils in this Olympic cycle were being used by the top riders and proved wicked fast, populating the top five gear list. And the top Under 21 year old riders are aging out and had the teenagers right on their hammer in each race proving that this championship is not just kids play.
Bridging the youth gap
In the women's fleet, a relaxed Lysa Caval of France is sailing her last youth event and traded firsts with a hard charging Derin Atakan. The young Turkish rider ended the day winning the tie-breaker for first.
"I was more excited about doing this event and trying the new equipment," said Caval, a Formula Kite Youth World Champion. She added that she was more relaxed headed into the championship since she was less prepared and was using a new design of kite for the first time.
You could drive a truck through the gap between fourth and fifth place in most of the women's races, showing there is a ton of development left for the newer riders, many of which only started riding in the last few years.
Caval said that the group of top youth riders in her fleet started started kite foil racing at the same time, several years ago, and that many of the other riders are only a few years into their racing journey. She said there's a lot to be learned from her group that was the first ever to campaign in this new Olympic class.
"Take pleasure in your sailing," Caval said. "The girls competing before stopped kiting because there was so much pressure. The secret to continue is to enjoy the journey and have fun."
14-year-old Karolina Jankowska of Poland was the top Under 17 rider in eighth and was scratching at the top five in each race.
Frothing on the new foils
The day after the Paris 2024 Olympics, the Formula Kite class allowed several select new designs for use including two new foil designs from Chubanga and Levitas, and new kite designs, adding North and Element to the approved kite manufacturers list that includes Flysurfer and Ozone among others.
The Youth Europeans is the first youth event where the new equipment is allowed and only the top riders had first access to the flashy new kit while the others either are saving the budget item for next year or are waiting for delivery.
Lucas Fonseca from Brazil showed that the new Levitas R6 foil now eligible, is super slippery. He missed the first race as the carbon blades were unboxed from the mail, tuned up and blazed off the leeward end of the second start to get second in the race. Hooting and hollering, the stoked Brazilian ended the day in third place.
"I was supposed to receive my foil two days ago," said Fonseca who missed the first race waiting, praying for the delivery. "The package arrived after the first race started and Flo (senior fleet competitor Florian Gruber) helped me put it together on the beach. I went out and had three good races. It's working real well."
Out from the shadow
Olympic bronze medalist Max Maeder won all four races today but not all were wire-to-wire wins. Italian Riccardo Pianosi challenged the Singaporean at every corner and led at times, but all have a bit of catching up to do.
Maeder's younger brother, Karl Maeder, who is representing Switzerland, leads the Under 17 group in the men's which represents one quarter of the fleet.
It may be a curiosity why two brothers represent two different countries, but with a Singaporean mother and Swiss father, the two have a choice. Though Karl has been living in his brother's deep shadow, he's progressing fast. Representing two countries certainly leaves the door open for a fabulous family story: two brothers sailing against each other in the Olympic regatta.
Formula Kite racing just completed it's first Olympic Games and all these riders are pioneers in the sport. With four more days of racing left and great breeze forecasted, there's plenty of time for those aging out to make their mark, and for the Under 17 riders to take some races off the veterans.
Racing concludes on Sunday with the medal medal series. The weekend's action is set to be livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook.
Results Men
1. Max Maeder, SGP - 3.0p
2. Riccardo Pianosi, ITA - 7.0p
3. Lucas Fonseca, BRA - 9.0p
Results Women
1. Derin Atakan, TUR - 4.0p
2. Lysa Caval, FRA - 4.0p
3. Zoe Butang, FRA - 8.0p