TEAM NEWS: TEAM GONG SHINES IN ULTRA LIGHT WIND CONDITIONS

At the end of the second day of racing in Cagliari, Julien Rattotti consolidates his leadership with two further heat wins!

After the two long-distance races on the first day of the Wingfoil Racing World Cup in Sardinia, which split the men's fleet into three groups, this second day was expected to be tricky with ultra-light wind forecasted. The race organizers were nevertheless able to assess that the minimum wind required to get the competition underway was present, allowing for two races for men and two for women to run.

And so the day got underway in conditions that represented a real technical and physical challenge for the racers. A challenge that took its toll, with less than half the male runners able to finish their races. The two women's races even had to be canceled.

Some competitors managed to stand out in these conditions, especially our GONG riders who stayed on their foils—a feat in itself with such light winds, where many others had to touch down without crossing the finish line. The top riders delivered an impressive display of light wind navigation, requiring significant focus and physical commitment, as explains Julien Rattotti at the end of the race : "It's really physically demanding. In a race like this, our heart rate exceeds 180 beats per minute. It’s hard to think clearly when deciding when to tack or what strategy to follow. It’s extremely challenging.”

Wingfoiler: Bastien, GONG Team rider, with a prototype Pulse UPE DP Aramid and a Racer FSP Pro. Photo: Wingfoil Racing Tour.

Second day's results

Julien Rattotti, equipped only with a 5.5m2 Pulse DP in these conditions, finished the day at the top of the overall standings. Just behind Julien, his team-mates Bastien Escofet and Francesco Cappuzzo also shone in the light, with two second places each in the day's heats. A relief for Bastien, after a catastrophic first day caused by a course error and two unfortunate encounters with floating objects. There's still a lot at stake for the competitors at the top of the leaderboard, with a forecast of very light winds expected this Friday and better conditions expected for the finals this weekend.