more. There have been good performances by the men’s squad including Andy Brown dominating the Princess Sofia Trophy in Spain at the beginning of the 2022 season.
Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Emma Wilson has made a very good transition from RS:X to iQFOiL, dominating the European Championship all the way to the last day but falling foul of the winner-takes-all format of the finals. “Compared with the boat classes and the Medal Race format, the finals of the kiteboards and the iQFOiL in particular put a lot of emphasis on the last day,” explains Mark.
“Emma was leading by 30 points and then missed out in the final, getting silver, but with all the other girls saying she deserved to win. It was a similar story at the Worlds when she was doing well throughout the week but ended up 4th. We’ve got to get used to it though, it’s how it’s always been with a 100 metre final on the track or 100-metre Freestyle final in the pool.”
The big events coming up in 2023 are the Olympic Test Event in Marseille this
Kitefoilers come to Portsmouth
The RYA is hosting the Formula Kite European Championships in Portsmouth this September.
With the riders hitting speeds well in excess of 30 knots while trying to balance on a board about a metre long, it should be a spectacular show and a great showcase for one of Olympic sport’s newest and fastest events. “We get a chance to host one big international event every Olympic cycle,” says Mark. “We bid for UK Sport event money and we’re really looking forward to hosting this event. Portsmouth City Council have been very supportive with providing activation funding. It’s a good chance to put kitefoiling in the spotlight and drum up some good numbers in the country.”
Racing at the Formula Kite Europeans will take place from 19-24 September. Find out more at
rya.org.uk/formula-kite-euros
Credit: IKA
July, swiftly followed by the World Sailing Championships at The Hague in the Netherlands, the first opportunity for nations to qualify their spots for Paris. With big tidally driven current and the potential for big waves on the North Sea, it will be a testing regatta for all 10 Olympic events. Mark and the other members of the selection panel will be monitoring performances closely this season as they decide which athletes have done the most to earn their ticket to Paris 2024.
RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show 2023 Show Guide
9
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27
