On the first day of the Final Series, the Italian takes the lead, taking advantage of the reigning world champion’s off day. Women: behind Kampman and Nolot, spotlight on Young and Lengwiler
The unexpected day unfolded on the waters of Quartu Sant’Elena. Max Maeder felt the scent of kryptonite in the Scirocco wind, shrugged off his Superman cape, and slipped from first to fourth place. Riccardo Pianosi seized the opportunity to claim sole leadership, while Toni Vodisek closed in on Gian Stragiotti behind him. Meanwhile, in the women’s fleet, Lily Young and Elena Lengwiler overtook Olympians (Aldridge), six-time world champions (Moroz), and world medalists (Whitehead), rising to third and fourth places behind Jessie Kampman and Lauriane Nolot. It was a wild Friday, October 3rd, off the Blue Sky beach club in Quartu Sant’Elena, where the ninth Sardinia Grand Slam, the Formula Kite World Championship, is underway.
VODISEK AND STRAGIOTTI IN THE “SPOTLIGHT” VOESTER SHINES
Pianosi finished the day as leader after a challenging day, with southerly winds between 12 and 18 knots and a temporary pause due to a brief Maestrale breeze. The only sailor to enter the Top 10 in all four races of the Gold Flight (the top 25 from the Qualifying Series) was German Jan Matthis Voester, who climbed to seventh place. Pianosi started with a 12th place (later discarded), redeemed himself by winning Race F2, then added an eighth and a third place. He now leads the Gold Flight with 23.0 points.
Behind him, Slovenian Vodisek, Olympic silver medalist, and Swiss Stragiotti, U21 world champion, each claimed a victory and are now tied at 31.0 points. For Maeder, it was a tough day: one third place and three disappointing results, a sharp contrast to his performance in the first three days with 10 wins and a second place. The battle for fifth to eighth places looks set to be exciting, currently held by Vojtech Koska, Benoit Gomez, Voeckler, and Sam Dickinson.
WOMEN, YOUNG AND LENGWILER EXCEL: “TOUGH DAY, BUT WHAT A JOY”
In the women’s fleet, Jessie Kampman remains in command (19.0 points), positioning herself to qualify for the Grand Final on Sunday with two match points. Solid Lauriane Nolot (38.0) is right behind, promising a sporting battle until the end. Beyond them, there are no certainties. A rough day for Breiana Whitehead and Daniela Moroz, combined with an off race from Olympian Ellie Aldridge in Race 13, allowed another English-speaking competitor, Britain’s Lily Young (55.0), to move into the podium zone.
“I’m really happy with how today went,” said Lily Young. “The wind conditions were better than in previous days, even though at times it seemed chaotic. I’m glad I managed to stay consistent today, maintaining better control and continuity. I didn’t win any races, but overall I’m satisfied.” For the British kiter, this is her fourth time in Sardinia: “This race course is very intense and challenging. Every day you need to reset your mind and body, ready for anything, because here you never know what to expect, and that’s exactly what makes it so difficult. Every day brings new challenges.”
The day’s MVP, borrowing an acronym from other sports, was Swiss Elena Lengwiler (57.0), who rose to fourth place thanks to a first, a second, and two third-place finishes. “It was important to achieve consistent results, so I believe I approached the day with the right mindset to deliver a solid performance,” explained Elena Lengwiler. She also described today’s weather conditions: “The wind was really demanding, very unstable and gusty. The races were intense, the fleet was always compact, and there was a fight across the entire course. I enjoyed it. I’m happy.”
TOMORROW’S RACES
With the first day of the Final Series complete, tomorrow’s battles will intensify: only the top eight men and top eight women will enter the Medal Series to decide the final sprint of the Formula Kite World Championships. Tomorrow, Saturday, October 4, the wind will come from the West. Racing is scheduled to start at 2:15 PM.
LIVE STREAMING
On Saturday, October 4, and Sunday, October 5, the Formula Kite World Championship races will be broadcast live on the event’s and IKA’s Facebook and YouTube platforms. The event will be accessible worldwide, with dedicated services and features. End-of-day highlights will also be shared on the event’s and IKA’s Facebook and YouTube channels.
YOUNG SPORTS JOURNALISTS
In the morning, a class from the Porcu Satta sports institute in Quartu Sant’Elena visited the Sardinia Grand Slam. The students and teachers were welcomed by coach Simone Vannucci and Team Italia coach Gian Marco Togni. The instructors introduced the kite foil discipline, and the students were very curious. By the end of the morning, their enthusiasm led them to ask many questions to the Italian coaches as well as athletes Daniela Moroz, Gian Andrea Stragiotti, Toni Vodisek, Giuseppe Paolillo, and Julio Houze. The students had the opportunity to test their English skills (and some even asked questions in German) and discover more details from the protagonists of the Formula Kite World Championships. The visit was also attended by the Sports Councillor of the Municipality of Quartu Sant’Elena, Cinzia Carta.
ORGANIZATION
Organized by GLEsport with technical-sport collaboration from Chia Wind Club, the Sardinia Grand Slam is held under the auspices of World Sailing (the International Sailing Federation) and IKA (the International Kiteboarding Federation), as well as the Italian Sailing Federation (FIV). Promoted by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, Department of Tourism, Handicrafts and Commerce, the Sardinia Grand Slam also benefits from the support and patronage of the Municipality of Quartu Sant’Elena. Event partners include Playcar and USE.
Quartu Sant’Elena, Cagliari, October 3rd, 2025
Photos: 1) All the determination of Riccardo Pianosi, the new leader of the World Championship in Quartu Sant’Elena; 2) A tough day for the defending champion Max Maeder; 3) From right: Toni Vodisek and Cameron Maramenides; 4) From left: Elena Lengwiler, Jessie Kampman, and Lauriane Nolot; 5) Lily Young, climbing back to third place; 6) A crossing of sails on the challenging fourth day of the World Championship; 7) The kite spectacle in the Gulf of Cagliari (Credits: IKA Media / Robert Hajduk); 8) Students of Quartu S. Elena meeting Italy Team. Free use for editorial purposes is allowed with credit mention. Click on the images to download them in high resolution.