Opening day with too little wind at the IFCA (International Funboard Class Association) Youth and Junior Slalom World Championships in Calasetta, an international event included in the Calasetta Water Sports Festival 2023 programme

©ELENA GIOLAI

In the evening, the opening ceremony in the centre of Calasetta, with a parade between the Torre Sabauda and Piazza Belly, the reference point for all the collateral evening activities

Calasetta (Sud Sardinia, Italy) – The Youth Funboard Slalom World Championships (under 17 and under 21), scheduled until Saturday 10 June, began in Calasetta (South Sardinia), albeit virtually due to a lack of wind. Unfortunately, it started with a ‘false start’ due to insufficient wind to hold regular races in the fin slalom discipline, which requires at least 11 knots on the race course. Despite the null, the day served for the organisers to break in the staff on the water with the bosaboe and race committee, who were able to test the various operational needs, which emerged during the laying of the race course, set up with the hope of an increase in the wind, which did not arrive, but remained fluctuating from a south-westerly with maximum gusts of 10.5, knots, averaging 8.5.

©ELENA GIOLAI

For the athletes it was an opportunity to socialise, organise their equipment under the gazebos set up on the beach and take their first tan, given the splendid sunny day, in a bay, that of La Salina di Calasetta, with breathtaking colours. At the event, organised by the Centro Nautico Marinai d’Italia Sant’Antioco, in collaboration with the Italian Sailing Federation and IFCA (International Funboard Class Association), almost 80 athletes from 10 nations are registered. Italy is present with 11 athletes: Gabriele Prosperi, Michele Laurenza, Gabriele Di Rosa, Caterina Biagiolini, Mimosa Meroni, Michele Pio Bonsanto, Giacomo Barro and Matteo Della Fiorentina, Diego Marghinotti and the Orlowski brothers; team leader Frank Christopher. In the evening, the parade will take place, followed by the opening ceremony of the teams present: the procession will pass through the streets of the centre of Calasetta, with a route that will go from the Savoy Tower to Piazza Belly, the nerve centre of the Calasetta Water Sports Festival’s evening cultural side events, with music, DJ sets and much more.

The event, which has in Antonio Iesu and Salvatore Casula the reference point and commitment for the entire organisation, counts on the patronage of the Region of Sardinia and the Municipality of Calasetta, and is supported by Carloforte Tonnare, Gp Immobiliare Iglesias, Sotacarbo, and Acqua San Giorgio. The weather forecast seems to give confidence for the next few days, as declared by Claudio Alessandrello, President of the FIV Race Committee, who coordinates all the Race Officials and Posaboe staff.