Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup
From the 8th-12th November the world’s best racers will be battling it out in Japan as the 2024 Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup takes place and the stakes couldn’t be any higher with the Foil Slalom world titles on the line.
Tsukuihama Beach, Yokosuka City, is situated approximately 80km southwest of Japan’s capital Tokyo. Yokosuka blends city life with the sea, while also being a Naval Port. Yokosuka occupies most of the Miura Peninsula and is bordered by the mouth of Tokyo Bay to the east and Sagami Bay on the west, which provides a beautiful backdrop. As Tsukuihama Beach is almost completely protected it can provide great flat water racing conditions. As well as its maritime connections Yokosuka is also famous for it’s locally grown produce and there is even a tourist farm where you can pick your own strawberries, sweet potatoes or tangerines depending on the time of year.
Foil Slalom
Women’s
Having won both of the opening events of the season, Justine Lemeteyer (FMX Racing / S2Maui) enters Japan as the clear favourite to earn a maiden world title. The reigning vice-world champion has been in a league of her own thus far having claimed dominant victories in both Fuerteventura and Sylt, Germany. In Fuerteventura, Lemeteyer won eight out of the twelve eliminations completed (66.66%), while in Sylt she was even more impressive with a win rate of 84.62%, having won eleven out of the thirteen eliminations sailed. Lemeteyer has looked extremely assured all season and now has fate in her own hands - a top three finish would guarantee her the coveted world title.
Lemeteyer’s closest rival is multiple time world champion - Marion Mortefon (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils) - who finished second in both Fuerte and Sylt, so while she has raced consistently, she would need things to fall in her favour to have any chance of adding to her world titles haul:
In the event that Lemeteyer were to finish fourth, then Mortefon would be required to win the event to snatch the world crown.
In the event that Lemeteyer were to finish fifth, second place would then be good enough for Mortefon to win.
If Lemeteyer we to finish sixth, Mortefon would need to finish third or better to secure the world title.
Outside Chance
While it’s a long shot for Blanca Alabau (Starboard / Severne Sails) to be able to defend her world title, it’s not mathematically impossible and with a 27 strong female fleet lining up for Japan, there’s certainly enough scope that a spanner could be thrown in the works of Lemeteyer and Mortefon. In order for Alabau to claim an unlikely victory, the Spaniard would need Lemeteyer to finish sixth or worse, Mortefon to finish fourth or worse, and win the event herself.
Among the lineup is defending event champion Lina Eržen (Starboard / Severne Sails), who claimed a superb victory here last year. The young Slovenian will be making her first appearance of the season on the World Tour after competing at the Paris Olympics earlier this year, while the conclusion of the Olympics is one of the main reasons for an influx of new faces in Japan, which should make for intriguing viewing.
Men’s
Two Horse Race
The Men’s world title race looks as though it’ll be a two horse race between Pierre Mortefon (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantoms Foils) and Daniele Benedetti (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails) with just 100 points separating them in Mortefon’s favour. In simple terms whoever beats who here will be the world champion assuming that Mortefon finishes no worse than sixth and Benedetti no worse than fifth.
Mortefon has already enjoyed a stellar year having won the inaugural Slalom X world title earlier this season, so this would really be the icing on the cake. Meanwhile, Benedetti enjoyed a break out performance in Fuerteventura, where he claimed his first event victory, and he’ll know a repeat of that performance here would see him crowned the 2024 Foil Slalom world champion - so there’s all to play for.
Away from the top two, Enrico Marotti (JP / NeilPryde), who Is 500 points behind Mortefon, still has an outside chance of winning the world title. In order to do so, Marotti would be required to win the event with Mortefon finishing outside of the top seven and Benedetti out of the top six.
Behind the top three is reigning world champion Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne Sails), who will be hoping to end the season on a high after an uncharacteristic ninth place in Sylt. Followed by Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails), who comes into Japan as the current event champion and both men could still play a big role in deciding the world champion.
Johan Søe (FMX Racing / Point-7 / PATRIK Foils) made a winning return to life on tour in Sylt is extremely impressive fashion. The Dane didn’t finish outside the top three in the seven eliminations completed in Germany and he’ll be a major threat here again.
Elsewhere, the usual suspects of Maciek Rutkowski (NeilPryde), Alexis Mathis (Tabou / GA Sails), Jordy Vonk (Duotone Windsurfing), Nico Prien (JP / NeilPryde), Michele Becker (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils), Cedric Bordes (Severne / Severne Sails) and Bruno Martini (JP / NeilPryde), who finished third in Sylt, will all be vying for the top ten and beyond, while a whole host of local Japanese sailors will be hoping to make their mark on home waters.
The forecast looks promising for the opening few days of the event with moderate north-northeast winds currently predicted. Registration will take place between 10am-11:30am (GMT+9) with a first possible start at 14:00.
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