Hong Kong delivered another brutally demanding day of racing as shifting winds pushed the world’s best riders to their limits at the opening World Cup of the season.
With full pressure from the outset, the riders who had failed to qualify for the medal series had one last chance in the long-distance Golden Ticket race. Italy’s Ernesto De Amicis handled the conditions superbly, taking the win and booking his place when it mattered most.
The women’s competition quickly became a story of rising talent upsetting the established order. China’s Yinuo Dong claimed victory in the quarter-final, progressing to the semi-finals alongside home favourite Claire Tse Tain Yu. Awaiting them were two of the most experienced riders in the fleet; Spain’s Iset Segura and defending World Cup champion Maddalena Spanu. However the conditions had other ideas.
A decisive wind shift caused the Italian and Spanish riders to fall off their foils and left them struggling to recover. Tse and Dong took their chance to break clear and both riders held their nerve to finish first and second, knocking out the seasoned contenders and sealing their places in the final.
That final was no less dramatic. It soon turned into a head-to-head between two 16-year-olds, Youth World Champion Yana Li and France’s Vaina Picot, who had dominated qualifying by winning all but two races.
© IWSA media/Robert Hajduk
Li built a commanding lead and looked untouchable, but a cautious approach opened the door for Picot to surge ahead in the closing stages. The twist came just 100 metres from the finish line when both riders dropped off their foils. Picot struggled to recover, while Li reacted fastest, getting back up to snatch a remarkable victory.
The men’s medal series proved equally enthralling, packed with overtakes and costly splashdowns. Italy’s Gregorio Pugliese produced a standout performance in the quarter-final, advancing despite only just scraping into the medal races. He progressed alongside Nicolo Spanu, who finished second.
In the semi-final, defending World Cup champion Mathis Ghio delivered a tactical masterclass, taking an early lead and controlling the race to the line. Spanu again did enough to secure second and reach the final.
The final set up a mouth-watering France versus Italy showdown, with Thomas Proust and Alessandro Tomasi starting with a bullet apiece as the top two qualifiers in a first-to-two format. Proust, who had been in outstanding form all week, led early on but a costly splashdown at the top mark handed the advantage to Tomasi.
© IWSA media/Robert Hajduk
The Italian seized his opportunity, stretching his lead and finishing well clear of Ghio. They were the only two riders to complete the race, and for Tomasi it marked a third World Cup victory - a perfect way to open his season.
Overall, the Hong Kong World Cup proved a compelling season opener, as emerging talents and fearless teenagers signalled a serious challenge to the sport’s established stars.
© IWSA media/Robert Hajduk
