iQFOiL Euros kickstart LA cycle

Islay Watson is among six British women competing in Sardinia. © Sailing Energy

11 Brits in action in Sardinia

What, where and when?
The 2024 iQFOiL European Championships will take place in Cagliari, Sardinia, from Sunday October 6 to Friday October 11.

Who?
The British Sailing Team’s windfoilers will be out in force in Cagliari, with six female athletes and five male athletes competing. Understandably, Team GB’s Paris 2024 windsurfers Emma Wilson and Sam Sills have opted not to race as part of their recovery from the Olympics. The Netherlands’ Luuc van Opzeeland is the only Paris 2024 medallist taking part in the regatta. 

The lowdown
Two months on from the conclusion of Paris 2024, the iQFOiL European Championship is being hailed as the first major event of the LA 2028 cycle. It might seem like it’s come round quickly after the Olympics but for the British Sailing Team athletes who didn’t go Paris it couldn’t have come sooner. They’re chomping at the bit to get their LA campaigns underway – and this is the perfect opportunity to score the first bragging rights of the cycle.

Ones to watch
All eyes will be on young gun Finn Hawkins after he was crowned under-23 world champion in August. Hawkins won a bronze medal at the 2018 Youth Olympics and has been a regular feature on iQFOiL podiums ever since. Pushing Hawkins hard will be Matt Barton, who alongside fellow Brit Islay Watson was a training partner to Olympic bronze medallist Emma Wilson in the run-in to Paris 2024. Watson will also be in action, joined in the female fleet by a group of talented young athletes including Alice Read.

Finn Hawkins in action at the U23 World Championships. © Sailing Energy

Anything else?
Keep an eye out for teenager Darcey Shaw, a new addition to the British Sailing Squad, the British Sailing Team’s development arm. Shaw won a silver medal at the 2024 Youth World Championships – a sign of good things to come.

What they said
Finn Hawkins, 21, St Austell, Cornwall: “I’m really looking forward to the Europeans here in Cagliari. It’s the first major event of the new Olympic cycle so I’m excited to kick off the next campaign towards LA 2028. I’m not sure what to expect for the results but as always I’ll aim for the front and give it my best.”

Matt Barton, 29, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk: “I’m looking forward to get back racing after what feels like a long break. Having spent much of 2024 on an 8m sail supporting Emma Wilson to the Games it’s been great fun getting back into racing on the 9m. I have some clear personal goals I want to build on and I’m excited to take every race as it comes.”

How to follow
The official event website including results is here. For the best photos and videos and latest news head to the British Sailing Team Instagram and Facebook channels.