DAY 1 – FOIL RACING LAUNCHES THE 2025 IFCA GRAND SLAM SLALOM WORLDS
The 2025 IFCA Grand Slam Fin & Foil Slalom World Championships
officially began yesterday with a vibrant Opening Ceremony in Alaçatı,
Turkey. Welcoming speeches were delivered by representatives from
Vakkorama, MYGA Surf City’s Resit Ardar, IFCA Class Representative Tine
Slabe, and the IFCA Class President. In a symbolic moment, the President
personally handed yellow class stickers to the defending World
Champions, signifying their status as the athletes to beat. The evening
concluded with a relaxed BBQ at the Surf Garden Café, giving athletes
and officials the chance to connect before the week of competition
ahead.

Morning Action – Foil Racing First on the Program:
Day 1 opened with the traditional Skippers’ Meeting, outlining schedules
and safety instructions. With a light wind forecast in place, Foil
Slalom took priority as the first discipline of the event. By
mid-morning, the beach was buzzing, the livestream was rolling, and the
first foil heats were underway. Spectators watched as athletes
maneuvered through tight elimination rounds, each fighting for a place
in the semi-finals and ultimately the coveted A Final spots.

Switching Gears, Maximizing Foiling Opportunities:
The competition format saw the top four from each heat progress to the
semi-finals, with the best moving into the A Final (positions 1–8), the
next group into the B Final (positions 9–16), and first-round exits
contesting the C Final for remaining points.

In the early afternoon, improving wind prompted the Race Committee to
attempt a shift to Fin Slalom racing. However, with conditions still
marginal, the decision was made to revert back to Foil Slalom for the
remainder of the day. This ensured racing continued in optimal
conditions, maximizing opportunities for the foiling fleet on the
event’s opening day.

Youth & Junior Female Foil – Home Waters Advantage:
Defending Champion Damla Kurtdemir 🇹🇷 started her title defense in
style, claiming the first event victory with two steady wins ahead of
Melis Bas in second and Nisa Ustundag in third.

Youth Male Foil – New Leader Emerges:
Defending Champion Sacha Fortune 🇫🇷 opened the day with a decisive first
win, showcasing both speed and precision in the jibes. But Kasper
Nielsen 🇩🇰 rose to the challenge, winning the second elimination and
taking the current event lead. Italy’s Matteo Della Fiorentina made a
solid start, securing third place overall with consistent top finishes.

Open Foil – Perfect Start for Denmark:
In the Open Division, Johan Soe 🇩🇰 delivered a flawless performance,
winning both eliminations to secure the early event lead. He is followed
by the Netherlands’ Bob Burgt in second and Sweden’s Hugo Sjoburg in
third.

Day 1 delivered close, tactical, and high-speed foil racing across all
divisions. With conditions expected to evolve in the coming days,
anticipation is high to see who will rise as the 2025 Foil Slalom World
Champions.

Please use link in correct way
EVENT PAGE:
https://www.ifcaclass.com/events/2025-events/2025-grand-slam-fin-foil-worlds/
CLASS EVENT VIDEOS:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi3jxBUF_P5fJ64BJiC1lK9fpTX817UNv&si=xFCa7G4bGrFP9581
IMAGE GALLERY: https://photos.app.goo.gl/iiAh1LN3yPsqtzHu9
GOOGLE DRIVE ACCESS UPON REQUEST FOR USE OF UNBRANDED IMAGES

LIVE STREAM: https://www.powerapp.com.tr/tvs/power-tvs/vwsc/