The  tension on the water at the 2016 RS:X European & Youth European Windsurfing Championships in Helsinki, Finland was fully loaded as Medal Races across the four fleets drew to a close. Many podium finishers from six days of racing here in Hernesaari will feature on the pedestal of the 2016 Rio Olympics, starting in 27 days.[more]

It was a funny day here in Helsinki as the morning started with sunshine in a clear blue sky and south-westerly wind of 5-6 m/s for racing. All fleets were off to the water according to the schedule, but came ashore shortly because of strong and cold fog spread out on the race course due to the water temperature’s decrease about five degrees. Only Women’s Youth fleet was lucky to get one Final Race sailed before being lost in the fog. After waiting ashore for a couple of hours, the fog disappeared as fast as it came and the most expected races got started.
Women Open Trophy
In the Women’s fleet, French Charline Picon (FRA-4), 2014 RS:X World Champion, managed to win the medal race and jumped from the third place to the highest podium to be awarded as 2016 RS:X European Champion. Tied with Picon after being fourth in the medal race, 2012 London Olympics Bronze Zofia Noceti-Klepcaka (POL-8), claims 2016 European Silver. 2015 Youth World Champion Stefania Elfutina (RUS-271) was fifth in the medal race and managed to complete the women’s podium being European Bronze now and also the best among U21.
Women Open Trophy – Top 5:
Gold – Charline Picon FRA-4; 46 pts
Silver – Zofia Noceti-Klepacka POL-8; 46 pts
Bronze – Stefania Elfutina RUS-271; 50 pts – U21
4. Marta Maggetti ITA-157; 78 pts – U21
5. Isobel Hamilton GBR-30; 102 pts

See the full results here

Men Open Trophy
2014 ISAF Worlds’ third, Thomas Goyard (FRA-4) was consistent and confident enough to win today’s Medal Race securing with only one-point-margin the title of the 2016 RS:X European Champion. Thomas said he had a very good Medal Race. “I had a very good start, very good tactics to the first upwind mark, crossed the finish line first just Pawel Tarnowski behind me doing a very good comeback and this moment I felt, I did my best winning the Medal Race and if I want to win the Championship, it depends on Kieran and other guys – so I was waiting on the finish line to see the others coming through. Seeing Kieran on 8th place was exactly the place I needed for me to win the Championship. This was exactly what happened and I could not believe until I checked the results from the finish boat and I was crazy happy to understand I’m the winner,” Goyard said with a big smile.
Leading the fleet on the preceding day, but finishing the Medal Race with 8th result, Kieran Holmes-Martin (GBR-11) wins RS:X European Silver medal. Very close racing for the third place as 2015 RS:X European Champion Pawel Tarnowski (POL-182) managed to finish second in Medal Race jumping from the 5th place to the podium winning European Bronze medal, tied with Mateo Sanz Lanz (SUI-36) as fourth.
Radoslaw Furmanski from Poland (POL-28) is the best in U21 Division ending on 6th place in overall ranking.
Men Open Trophy – Top 5:
Gold – Thomas Goyard FRA-3; 40 pts
Silver – Kieran Holmes-Martin GBR-11; 41pts
Bronze – Pawel Tarnowski POL-182; 64 pts
4.  Mateo Sanz Lanz SUI-36; 64 pts
5. Przemyslaw Miarczynski POL-126; 69 pts