Israeli athleticism made waves in the Canary Islands on Saturday as 21-year old Israeli windsurfer Sharon Kantor clinched the gold medal during the iQFoil World Championships. This marks an international victory for Kantor and guarantees her a place in the Paris Olympics this summer.
“I worked so hard today,” Kantor, 21, told the press after the race in the Canary Islands. “I had so much fun at this event. I had ups and downs, so grateful.”
The iQFoil World Championship showcases the talents of athletes from around the globe. It focuses on the iQFoil class, a modern high-performance windsurfing board equipped with a hydrofoil.
The championship typically features a series of races where competitors navigate through various courses, testing their skills, speed, and tactical abilities. The most recent nine-day championship mustered 200 athletes from 43 countries at Marina Rubicón in Lanzarote.
In a shared Instagram post with Kantor, iQFoil lauded Kantor as an “unstoppable force on the water.”
“Sharon Kantor (IL) owned the medal series with a spectacular show of dominance,” the post continued. “Winning the quarter-final, dominating the semi-final, and claiming victory in the final – she is our 2024 iQFOiL World Champion!”
Kantor was not the only Israeli on the winner’s podium after Saturday’s competition, as 24-year old Katy Spychakov achieved a third-place finish, behind English windsurfer Emma Wilson. “I wanted more today, but I guess that’s going to be enough for today and we’ll see what’s next for me,” Spychakov said.
The Paris Olympics will take place from July 26 to August 11, and will be the debut appearance of iQfoil windsurfing.