The Official
Website of the
International
Sailing Federation

Every day the wind was blowing with at least 15 knots with maximums of over 30 knots. This enabled the race committee to run nine slalom eliminations for all of the fleets. Outright World Sailing Speed Record holder MAYNARD sailed brilliantly to win the men's fleet. SHREEVE also put in four great days to dominate the women's Championship and reigning Formula Windsurfing European Master Champion Marco BEGALLI (ITA) was unstoppable in the Masters.

On the final day two more eliminations were run for each fleet. It was the day of the Dutch with VAN DER STEEN scoring two bullets. MAYNARD ensured his victory in elimination eight and was able to stay ashore in the last race. A good performance also came from Sam IRELAND (CAN) with a fifth and a second. Dan ELLIS (GBR) pushed hard to pass his Fanatic team mate Arnon DAGAN (ISR) with two thirds, whilst the Israel Champion scored two fourth places.

After four spectacular competition days with nine slalom eliminations MAYNARD won the IFCA European Slalom Championships with four victories and a total of 6.8 points. VAN DER STEEN followed in second place with three victories and 10.1 points. As best European competitor he is the new IFCA European Slalom Champion 2005. With his strong performance on the final day he was able to pass IRELAND, who scored one bullet and a total of 10.7 points. The delighted Dutchman enthused, 'It was an awesome event! Great conditions and spectacular racing. I had to fight my way through to the podium. But today I finally scored two bullets and passed Sam. It is great to have slalom again!'

DAGAN managed to defend his fourth place with one victory and 18.7 points against ELLIS' 20.0 points. With a fifth place in the final race, BEGALLI grabbed sixth place on a tie break with the best Turkish competitor Hüseyin SERT.

The women's fleet was dominated by the 2004 Formula Windsurfing World Championship runner up, SHREEVE. She won all nine races of her fleet. She commented, 'I'm stoked! I won the women fleet and achieved a solid mid field position among the men. Slalom is great! It is fun, fast, easy and great for the media and the spectators. The races are short and you can do a lot of them. It is great to see the return of this discipline in the Euro-Cup. It will be difficult for me to return on the formula board again.'

The fight for the IFCA European Slalom title was focused on two Turkish competitors. Turkish Champion KUBAT won out to take the European title with 13.0 points, just two points ahead of her team mate, Scadi PEKDAG.

BEGALLI added another title to his collection, dominating the masters' fleet and winning with a total of 4.2 points. Leonid JUDIN (SAM) ended second with 9.4 points, with third going to Aydin GÖZEN (TUR).