iQFOiL Youth and Junior World Championships done.

The worlds of '21 are over, and if I want to I can write a whole book about the new things that I've learnt in the past two weeks in Italy. Very grateful about the way that we as the RTC team cooperated with each other. I won't forget the breakfasts, lunches and diners with the team every day, full of laughter and fun. The members of the team always were standby to help me, and from my side it was the same.

While heading back to lovely cold Holland in an overnight drive in which I usually can't sleep, I have the time to think about the progress and the mistakes I've made. It is really a must to have the skills to sail constant races. Constancy is such a great quality that wil play a huge role in the way you are ranked at the end of a racing week. Remember that if you for instance constantly are sailing around the tenth place, with two bad discards results, other athletes with results that are more likely further apart from each other can't compete with the results you've sailed. Too many bad races causes you ending up with loads of points. Furthermore I noticed that tension can be a bummer. The quality of keeping your head cool in all circumstances is also a competence that I should master myself. The trick is to know that the setup is excellent, so you only have to worry about what is going on in the field, the meteorology and the waves. 

Because I didn't have the skills that are so much needed yet, like mentioned up above, my results from the first days got me into the silver fleet. In the first days of a major tournament you'll start in one big class with all the male competitors, and when there are enough results sailed, then a spread is made in the form of two fleets based on your previous sailed results. Unfortunately this meant silver fleet for me, but nevertheless I came back with a third, fourth, another third and a second place in this fleet. This has given me the confidence that I really am competitive enough to sail results in the top of a fleet. 

Another important thing to mention is that since I first met with foiling last year I've witnessed all windfoilers having such a huge amount of fun! That's the incentive for me to keep competing in this new and fantastic class. Getting loaded with energy from the good times on the water and meeting fellow windsurfers is a great thing. Apart from the fact that the racing didn't really went like I wanted it to go, my tour up to the top of the silver fleet makes me hungry for more. For now I want to thank everyone who has made this event possible.

We are the future! Looking forward to the Europeans in Croatia in September.