Irish Waszp sailors competed at an intense week at the Foil International Academy Trophy in Italy. The event gathered over 40 athletes from 10 nations in the waters of Cagliari, at Su Siccu.
In the Waszp discipline, Swedish Hanno Seifert claimed victory, topping the overall standings, followed by Spaniard Pablo Astiazaran and Peter Cope from the Isle of Man.
Dun Laoghaire sailors Rian Geraghty McDonnell of the Royal St George and Georgia Goodbody of the Royal Irish Yacht Club finished sixth and seventh respectively in the bronze fleet. (See results below).
"I believe the Cagliari race was excellent," commented Hanno Seifert, Waszp champion. "It was a competition with plenty of wind, highly enjoyable, and the skill level was exceptionally high. Winning brings me great joy." Local athletes Freddy Pilloni and 14-year-old Pierluigi Caproni also took centre stage in a demonstration with iQFOiL.
Prestigious awards were presented for the "Nation Trophy," given to two representatives from each nation with the highest score among pairs. The victors were Sweden with Felicia Fernstrom and Hanno Seifert, Spain with Isi Collado Front and Pablo Astiazaran, and Italians Rebecca Geiger and Federico Bergamasco.
The awards ceremony unfolded at the headquarters of the Italian Sailing Federation's III Zone at Molo Ichnusa in Cagliari. The final day of the Foil International Academy Trophy will be etched in participants' memories for the visit to Luna Rossa's base, providing them with a glimpse into the realm of the America's Cup.
The Foil International Academy Trophy is a component of the Next Generation Foil Academy project powered by Luna Rossa. The central hub is at the Federal Olympic Preparation Center of the Italian Sailing Federation at Molo Ichnusa in Cagliari, where the flags of the 10 involved nations fluttered for a week. Athletes who journeyed to Sardinia hailed from Spain, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France, various regions of Italy, Great Britain, and a delegation from the Isle of Man.
