Aarhus World Championships
The Men’s and Women’s RS:X Windsurfing fleets at the Hempel Sailing World Championships Aarhus 2018 will feature a blend of experienced heads and young hopefuls aiming to make their mark on the world stage.
Ninety men and 64 women are registered to compete in Denmark as they fight for ten and 11 male and female RS:X spots at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Sailing Competition.
The French trio of Louis Giard, Pierre Le Coq and Thomas Goyard come into the event as the trio to defeat in the men’s fleet.
Across the 2018 World Cup Series, the trio have consistently been at the top of the fleet, winning numerous medals along the way.
The Men’s and Women’s RS:X Windsurfing fleets at the Hempel Sailing World Championships Aarhus 2018 will feature a blend of experienced heads and young hopefuls aiming to make their mark on the world stage.
Ninety men and 64 women are registered to compete in Denmark as they fight for ten and 11 male and female RS:X spots at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Sailing Competition.
The French trio of Louis Giard, Pierre Le Coq and Thomas Goyard come into the event as the trio to defeat in the men’s fleet.
Across the 2018 World Cup Series, the trio have consistently been at the top of the fleet, winning numerous medals along the way.
Giard started 2018 off with gold at Miami with Le Coq snapping up silver. A few months later, in Hyères, France, Le Coq took the honours and was followed by Giard and Goyard who completed the podium.
The last big event before Aarhus 2018, Sailing’s World Cup Series Final in Marseille, France saw another clean sweep with Le Coq taking a second gold of the series. Goyard picked up silver and Giard bronze.
The French windsurfers have been dominant and will favourites to claim further medals in Denmark.
Dorian Van Rijsselberghe (NED) became the most decorated Olympic windsurfer of all time at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as he successfully defended the title he won at London 2012. The Dutchman leapfrogged Greece’s Nikos Kaklamanakis, who won gold at Atlanta 1996 and silver at Athens 2004, to claim the accolade.
Kaklamanakis, who is coaching Byron Kokkalanis (GRE) and Andreas Cariolou (CYP) in Aarhus, remains the most successful windsurfer at a World Championship level but Van Rijsselberghe is hot on his heels. The Dutchman was down the pack in Miami and Hyères this year but never one to be discounted, he knows when and how to turn up the heat on the big stage and will be a serious contender.
American hopes will be firmly pinned on Geronimo Nores. The youngster won gold at the Youth Sailing World Championships in Corpus Christi, Texas, USA just over one week ago. Buoyed by his success, Nores will be aiming to put himself amongst the leading contenders in a bid to qualify his nation for Tokyo 2020.
Defending World Champion Bing Ye (CHN), Kiran Badloe (NED), Tom Squires (GBR), Shahar Zubari (ISR), Pawel Tarnowski (POL), Piotr Myszka (POL) and Mateo Sanz Lanz (SUI) will also fancy their chances to strike gold.
At the 2017 RS:X Women’s World Championship in Enoshima, Japan, Chinese sailors completely dominated the field, winning all three medals.
Defending Champion and Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist Peina Chen (CHN) as well as bronze medallist Yunxiu Lu return to continue their push for glory and will be joined by four further Chinese hopefuls.
The fleet is also spearheaded by London 2012 Olympic gold medallist, Marina Alabau (ESP) and Rio 2016 gold medallist Charline Picon (FRA).
Following Rio 2016, Picon stepped away from the sport to give birth to her first child. She made her comeback at Sailing’s World Cup Series event in Hyères, France earlier this year and finished fourth.
The French competitor has had to juggle motherhood and training for the Hempel Sailing World Championships.
Throughout her training and preparations, World Sailing followed the French athlete as part of the Chasing Dreams series. Find out more about Picon below:
In the lead up to the World Championships, no sailor has truly dominated like the male fleet with numerous winners and medallists at the World Cup events.
Zofia Noceti Klepacka (POL) took gold at the Hyères World Cup event, Israel’s Noga Geller claimed her first World Cup Final title in Marseille and at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Lilian de Geus (NED) came out on top.
The race for gold will be wide open and any one of up to 20 windsurfers will fancy their chances.
The Men’s and Women’s RS:X windsurfers will start racing on Friday 5 August and races will be streamed live here - www.youtube.com/worldsailingtv
By Daniel Smith - World Sailing