Get ready for the IQFOIL Class European Championships 2023. This event will be held from the 6th until the 14th of May in Patras, Greece. Besides a European title, this is for many national federations a qualifier that will decide on who is going to the Olympic Test event in Marseille and who qualifies for the World Championships later this summer in The Hague.
Previous IQFOIL Championships have been held in places like Silvaplana, Marseille and Lake Garda all situated in Central Europe, this is the first time the class travels more towards Eastern Europe. Places, where previously Europeans have been held, have seen an increase in their IQFOIL training groups and were very popular among athletes who lived in surrounding countries. By bringing the Europeans to Greece we come closer to the countries that normally have to travel for multiple days or plane, something that often goes hand in hand with high cost. We are looking forward to seeing new faces from Greece and surrounding countries, showcase their skills on the racing course.
During the event in Patras, we will be racing on the sea, just like we did earlier in 2021 when we were in Marseille. It is known that there is a big difference in the racing style on sea versus on lakes. On the Lakes, you see that speed is the most important vector that you need to win a race. When we are racing on open water the athletes make changes to their equipment setting themselves up for a different kind of racing, as “banging a corner” is not the way to sail anymore. Often they choose a high upwind angle over speed and take more power in the sail and the foil. The World Championships this year will be held in The Hague, Netherlands, also on open waters. These Europeans will give us a good view of who has a good chance of winning the World title. Especially when you take the International Games Lanzarote from earlier this year in mind, together it will give us a good insight on who might have a chance in crowning him and herself as the new IQFOIL World Champion.