Super Giulia Conti and Francesca Clapcich. The two azure women succeeded in the feat of winning the 49er FX Class World Championship in Argentina. A historic achievement for Italian sailing that propels the girls into the elite of international sailing and, less than a year before the Olympics, nominates them as favorites for the most valuable medal. (photo by Matias Capizzano)
ONE SEASON AT MOST
The two Italian women, the only crew so far to have obtained an individual pass for participation in the Rio Games, had also won the European title in Portugal in July (adding to the World bronze won in Santander in 2014, numerous podiums in the ISAF World Cup, and the Italian title won in Naples in late September). In August they had also taken silver at the Aquece Rio International Sailing Regatta in Brazil, behind longtime rivals Grael-Kunze. Rivals who at the World Cup were caught up, placed side by side on equal points ahead of the medal race and then beaten with an uncommon display of coolness.
HOW TO ACHIEVE A HISTORIC VICTORY
This is a historic achievement for Italian sailing, which had not won a World Championship title in the Olympic classes since 2008, when champion Alessandra Sensini won the RS:X Women’s Olympic Sailboard World Championship in New Zealand.
The day yesterday in San Isidro had begun with the recovery of the races lost in the past few days due to the weather conditions, three races, run with a wind between 15 and 20 knots of intensity, for both the men’s and women’s Gold fleets, in which Conti-Clapcich put up 8-4-8 partials, results that projected them to first place in the overall standings paired with Brazil’s Grael-Kunze and four points ahead of the third, Denmark’s Hansen Salskov-Iversen. At 7 p.m. Italian time, it was then the turn of the long-awaited Medal Race – the final double points race reserved for the best ten crews in the rankings – a breathtaking race, run in a wind around 12 knots of intensity, which Conti-Clapcich tackled with grit and determination, managing to get off to a splendid start and lead the race from the very first strokes, leaving behind the Brazilians, then second, and closing this 49er FX World Championship triumphantly. And so, after the European Championships, this World Championships arrived as well, an extraordinary double, the result of the talent of the two blue women and the hard work set by the DT of the National Team Michele Marchesini together with the Discipline Coach Gianfranco Sibello.
