The 2024 IQFoil Youth & Junior World Championship concludes spectacularly at CN Sa Ràpita

The 2024 IQFoil Youth & Junior World Championship, held at Club Nàutic Sa Ràpita (CNR) throughout this week, has ended this Saturday after an unforgettable week. Despite the weather challenges, the club has demonstrated its commitment to high-level competition and its ability to manage an event of this magnitude, with 375 participants from 35 countries.

The week's weather, with two days without races due to lack of wind and a Friday with water activities canceled due to the orange alert, has not diminished the satisfaction of the IQFoil class or the positive impact of the event on the local community.

Pau Lladó, president of the CNR, highlights the historical significance of this championship for the club and the municipality of Campos: “Organizing this youth world championship is a source of pride for the CNR and for Campos. It has been a unique opportunity to increase our visibility at the national and international levels, putting Sa Ràpita on the world sailing map.”

“We are very proud to have been able to organize an event of this magnitude,” adds CNR's sports director, Miki Bover, who emphasizes that this World Championship is a reward for the club and the sailors. “It is also a recognition for them and a source of pride for our community,” he notes.

The CNR thus establishes itself on the international sailing scene, rising with the merit of organizing the championship of this class with the same ambition that has driven other great nautical feats by navigators from the club, such as Nacho Baltasar's historic participation in the recent Paris Olympics or the recent appearance of Neus Ballester in the Women's America’s Cup, adding to previous milestones such as the world circumnavigations by Toni Nicolau or Guillem Martí, or the participation in the Mini Transat by José Linares.

“For the club, it is a very important milestone to have been able to carry this forward, because it has been the first international championship of such magnitude that has been held in the history of the club,” values Nuria Bover, CNR's sailing spokesperson.

The organization of this event required an unprecedented logistical deployment, hosting the young athletes and their companions, gathering more than 700 people, which has resulted in an economic injection of almost a million euros for Sa Ràpita, Campos, and Mallorca as a whole. Outside the high season, local accommodations and businesses have had significant activity, giving the economy of the municipality and the island a key boost at this time of year.

Although wind conditions and the weather alert have left days without activity on the water affecting the rankings, the club has adapted, and the IQFoil class community has positively valued being able to enjoy such a privileged environment of Sa Ràpita, with its natural spaces and mild climate, ideal for this type of events. The pause in races has also favored the creation of bonds among participants, who have enjoyed a time of coexistence and camaraderie in this corner of the Mediterranean.

The championship, which concluded without being able to hold the final phase planned in the medal race, was resolved with the results of approximately 10 races for all classes (Sub 17 male, sub 17 female, and sub 19 female) as well as 11 races for the sub 19 male class.

At its last day, the closing ceremony of the championship was held this Saturday, overshadowed by the lack of institutional presence due to the official mourning decreed in Spain for the recent DANA that devastated the eastern peninsula, to whose victims a minute of silence was dedicated on Thursday before starting the day's competition. Despite this, the event closed on a celebratory and recognition note towards the young sailors and the club, who have lived an unforgettable experience.

Regarding the final ranking of the championship, the podiums of this 2024 iQFoil Youth World Championship are as follows: (https://2024iqyjworldssarapita.sailti.com/en/default/races/race-resultsall)

SUB 17 FEMALE >> In 1st place, Alba Klein from Israel, 2nd place for Rüya Uğurlu from Turkey, and in 3rd position, Julia Przybył from Poland.

SUB 17 MALE >> In 1st position, Itamar Levi from Israel, in 2nd place Leopold Brisedou from France, and in 3rd place, David Aleshko from Israel.

SUB 19 FEMALE >> In 1st place, Darcey Shaw from Great Britain, followed by Maya Gysler from Norway and in third place, Nela Sadílková from the Czech Republic.

SUB 19 MALE >> In 1st place, Italian Federico Alan Pilloni, followed in 2nd position by Polish Igor Lewinski and in 3rd position, Kylian Manhaval from France.

“I want to thank all the club employees, instructors, etc., for the work they are doing for the Championship,” expressed Pau Lladó, president of CNR, in recognition of the dedication of the team that has allowed the event to proceed successfully. Regarding the organizational effort, Lladó emphasizes that “logistically, this event required many months of preparation and intense coordination. Every detail, from the loading and unloading area for boards to the launch and grounding area, has been designed to guarantee the success of the championship. The experience we gained in the Balearic and Spanish championships this year has given us the confidence to take on this challenge,” he indicated.

“We have been working on this project for over a year, which we have taken on with great enthusiasm and as a personal challenge,” stresses Miki Bover. “It has required immense dedication, many hours of work, and detailed logistics on personnel, security, and accommodation of teams in the area and at the club. Choosing this class was a challenge in itself, as it is a fast and complex modality, but it is where we have worked the most in recent years, especially with high-level sailors like Nacho Baltasar,” he notes.

Nuri Bover, for her part, appreciates the understanding of the members and institutional collaboration. “We had to adapt the parking lot with a shelving structure to organize the boards, in addition to setting up the waiting dock for 80 support inflatable boats, markers, trainers, etc. I appreciate the support and patience of the Municipality of Campos and the member,” she emphasizes.

The iQFoil class as a whole has highlighted the work of the CNR, which officials, trainers, and sailors of the class already consider a benchmark in the discipline. At this point, they have highlighted the key work of Miki Bover, sports director of CNR, along with the club's board, in the impeccable organization of this unprecedented event.

In addition to consolidating Club Nàutic Sa Ràpita as an epicenter for international sailing competitions, this Youth iQFoil World Championship also marks the beginning of a new stage. And it is that the club has significant plans to expand and improve its facilities. Lladó advances that the club, a year from celebrating its 55th anniversary, will carry out a major renovation of its offices, social local, and tent area, which will entail a pause in the organization of major events for approximately 15 months. “We are preparing our facilities to be able to host events of this magnitude again once the works are completed,” explains the president.

The iQFoil World Championship has marked a before and after for the CNR and the municipality of Campos, which today are a reference in the world of youth sailing. The experience and legacy of this event point to consolidating Sa Ràpita as a first-class nautical destination in the Mediterranean.