The Mar Menor crowned the new European champions of the Formula Kite class. While Singaporean Max Maeder emerged as the overall winner, the continental titles went to France, following the victories of Axel Mazzella and Lauriane Nolot in the men’s and women’s categories, after a week of regattas in the town of Los Alcázares, Murcia.
World champion Max Maeder seemed destined to become the super champion. He already won the Spanish Championship a week ago and has now repeated his success in the European Championship. However, in both cases, he doesn’t claim the Spanish or European titles as he’s Asian, but he does take home the Open award.
Olympic spots
French athletes Mazzela and Nolot did secure the continental title and were also vying for the nominal spots to represent their country in the upcoming Paris Olympic Games, bringing absolute joy.
The final day of the Medal Series saw Maeder and Mazzela in the men’s category and Nolot and Poema Newland in the women’s category already qualified for the grand final. They only had to wait for rivals from the two semifinals, which saw the reigning European champion, Italian Riccardo Pioanosi, and Brazilian Bruno Lobo in the men’s division, and French Jessie Kampman and Swiss Elena Legwiler, who advanced to the final after winning three heats in the semis, eliminating the reigning European champion, British Eleanor Aldridge.
As had been the case throughout the Qualifying Series and Final Series, Maeder and Nolot’s absolute dominance continued in the Medal Series where they both asserted authority, needing just one race to become champions. The first to secure three points would be the champion, and as Maeder and Nolot already had a lead of two, having won all the previous rounds.
France’s great dominance
Thus, the podium of the 2024 European Championship was: Axel Mazzela, gold; Riccardo Pianosi, silver; and Connor Bainbridge, bronze in the men’s category, and Lauriane Nolot, gold; Jessie Kampman, silver; and Poema Newland, bronze in the women’s category. The European U21 champions were Pianosi and Polish athlete Julia Damasiewicz.
Regarding Spanish participation, in the men’s category, Bernat Cortés finished 21st in the Gold Group; in the Silver Group, Alejandro Climent (20) and Jacobo Espí (26), and in the Bronze Group, Carlos Espí (10), Kiko Peiró (18), Leonardo Collado (20), and Marcelo Cairo (25). In the women’s category, Gisela Pulido finished in 15th place, and in the Silver Group, Adelaida Marquenie (16).
The awards ceremony was attended by EUROSAF President Josep Maria Pla, Real Federación Española de Vela Vice President Arturo García Pallarés, and Los Alcázares Sports Councillor Pedro Lamas.
The event, organized by the International Kiteboard Association (IKA), the Mar Menor Yacht Club, the Eurosaf Academy, and Univela Sailing, was supported by the Los Alcázares Town Council, the Region of Murcia, and the Mar Menor-Cabo de Palos Nautical Station.
En español: Mazzella y Nolot campeones y Maeder, supercampeón del Europeo de Formula Kite
