IFCA Youth & Junior Funboard Slalom World Championships 2023 in Calasetta – Day 4

by Elena Giolai 12 Jun 03:31 PDT
7-10 June 2023

The IFCA (International Funboard Class Association) Youth & Junior Slalom World Championship ended in a dead heat due to a lack of wind; the Calasetta Water Sports Festival’s kite, wing and canoe kayak events continue with musical and cultural evenings.

Wind is on strike in Sardinia for the World Windsurfing Slalom Fin Youth & Junior Championship: if last year during the European Championship of the same specialty the wind was even too much, this year during the week scheduled for the World Championship (5 to 10 June) the uncertain weather did not create even the slightest conditions to let in the wind, which in Calasetta is usually too much and annoying for tourists.

This was a pity for the organisers of the Centro Nautico Marinai d’Italia Sant’Antioco with the two great enthusiasts Antonello Iesu and Salvatore Casula and their collaborators, who had managed to bring the rainbow event back after the excellent success of the European 2022.

The eighty or so athletes from 10 countries (Bonaire, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, Poland, Turkey, Italy) had to console themselves with various activities on the beautiful La Salina beach, including beach volleyball, canoeing, five-a-side football: Windsurfing equipment was only prepared for those moments when the wind seemed to increase, when the Italian Sailing Federation’s Race Committee, constantly monitoring the situation, had moved to try and position the regatta course, but found that the wind never exceeded the necessary 11 knots to start the slalom races, except for that half-hour in the middle of the week when two batteries of the men’s youth board could hardly be disputed.

For all the teams, however, during the closing ceremony of the World Championship, in the absence of a prize-giving ceremony, a souvenir of Calasetto craftsmanship was nevertheless left, made of glass and hand-painted by local artist Elisabetta Farchi.

The event enjoys the patronage of the Region of Sardinia and the Municipality of Calasetta, and is supported by Carloforte Tonnare, Gp Immobiliare Iglesias, Sotacarbo, Max Meyer and Acqua San Giorgio.

For the rereport, Sunday morning woke up to a strong wind, a real mockery for those who had waited a week for it!