Both the Frenchman and the Singaporean secured two partial victories each, but Mazella’s consistent performance in both the sea breeze and the mistral wind allowed him to finish the day in first place. Pianosi wins race 5
Consistency pays off, at least in the first day of the Sardinia Grand Slam, the decisive event of the IKA KiteFoil World Series. Frenchman Axel Mazella, a two-time winner of the Poetto international event, returned to the beach with the overall lead, despite not winning any of the races on Wednesday, October 2nd. Behind him, Singapore’s Maximilian Maeder, bronze medalist at Paris 2024, and fellow Frenchman Benoit Gomez, who each won two races. Mixed results for the two Italians, with Riccardo Pianosi finishing on a high note by winning race 5. Among Women, favorite Jessie Kampman lived up to expectations but faced a tough challenge from Israeli rider Gal Zukerman. Olympic athlete Maggie Eillen Pescetto of Italy secured third place.
The wind was unstable in the Gulf of Angels, ranging from 10 to 17 knots: the day began with a sea breeze and hints of mistral, which later shifted to a full-blown mistral wind in the second half. Gomez made his winning move in both the dominated opening race and the third, finishing ahead of Maeder in the first and Switzerland’s Gian Stragiotti in the second. Stragiotti also handled the tricky conditions well.
Maeder quickly responded by winning race 2, following a spectacular three-way sprint with Axel Mazella and Martin Dolenc, and took victory again in race 4, once more beating Mazella. In the final race of the day, there was a fierce battle between Riccardo Pianosi, Mazella, and Stragiotti. The Italian, now a Cagliari local, defended his lead at the final mark and crossed the finish line ahead of the Frenchman and the Swiss. Pianosi also secured two fourth-place finishes and ranked fifth overall after the first day.
“I didn’t expect these weather conditions today,” commented Axel Mazella, referring to the fluctuating winds, “but it was fun racing with the guys. Tomorrow, rain is forecast for the morning, but the day is long, and we hope to race in the afternoon.”
Good performances were also seen from Connor Bainbridge and Martin Dolenc, who each secured a second place in the first and second races, respectively. It was a tough day for another “new local,” Lorenzo Boschetti from the Marche region, who remained optimistic: “I made a mistake during the third race, trying not to fall into the water, but I ended up airborne,” said Boschetti (Italian Navy Sports Group). “Meanwhile, Gomez came and crashed into me. Tonight I’ll repair the sail. Despite this, I’m optimistic because I was in the lead, so there are great opportunities for tomorrow.”
In the women’s field, Jessie Kampman and Gal Zukerman each won a race to kick off the afternoon, but the Frenchwoman edged out the Israeli in the next three races. Maggie Eillen Pescetto performed well, finishing second in the first race and third overall. “The first two races were tough due to the sea breeze and the incoming mistral. In the second half, we raced with pure mistral. It was a challenging and exhausting day, competing alongside the men on the same course, but I’m happy with how it went,” said Pescetto.
LIVE STREAMING
Tomorrow, the Day-2 schedule include other five races, even if wheather forecast is not optimal. Friday, October 4th, and Saturday, October 5th, the final stage of the IKA KiteFoil World Series will be broadcast live via streaming on the event’s Facebook and YouTube platforms, as well as IKA’s. The races will start at 11:00 a.m., barring any weather delays. The event will reach over 150 countries worldwide, with dedicated reports and special features. Daily highlights will also be shared on the event’s Facebook and YouTube platforms.
MEN – Ranking after 5 races
1. Axel Mazella FRA – 9p
2. Maximilian Maeder SGP – 10p
3. Benoit Gomez FRA – 12p
WOMEN – Ranking after 5 races
1. Jessie Kampman FRA – 95p
2. Gal Zukerman ISR – 100p
3. Maggie Eillen Pescetto ITA – 107p
