Fri Oct 04 23:27:00 UTC 2024: ## Portland Windsurfers Head to European Championships in Cagliari
**Weymouth and Portland, UK** – A strong contingent of British windsurfers, hailing from the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, will be competing at the IQFOIL European Championships in Cagliari, Italy, from October 6th to 11th.
The event, seen as the first major competition of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle, will feature six female and five male British athletes. Notably absent will be Olympic bronze medalist Emma Wilson, who is still recovering from her Games performance, and fellow Olympian Sam Sills.
However, the team boasts several promising contenders, including Islay Watson, Wilson’s training partner, and Finn Hawkins, the reigning under-23 world champion. Hawkins, a 2018 Youth Olympic bronze medalist, has consistently been a force on the iQFOiL podium.
Matt Barton will be pushing Hawkins hard in the men’s competition, while Alice Read will represent the British women.
The championships are expected to provide a thrilling platform for these athletes to showcase their skills and set the stage for future Olympic ambitions.
First Piper 