Surfer Sharon Kantor made history after being crowned world champion in windsurfing. The surfer Kati Spichkov who won the bronze medal (the second medal in a row she has won at the World Championship) also got on the podium and together the two moved an entire country.
Sharon shares – “I still can’t digest the fact that I am world champion. We will stand with the Israeli flag and wave it proudly, because these days it is the most significant thing we can do as athletes, to represent our country with honor.”
Less than half a year to the Olympic Games in Paris, windsurfer Sharon Kantor has put an official seal in Spain that she is one of Israel’s greatest hopes for a medal in the biggest sporting event in the world, after being crowned world champion.
After Sharon Kantor recorded the tremendous achievement, Shahar Tzuberi’s women’s team celebrated her winning the medal and of course also the winning of the bronze medal by Katy Spichkov.
The new world champion She said: “I am happy. I had such a hard day. I worked hard on each and every cruise, and at the end I faced Emma, who was so fast, and sharp. The final cruise was so satisfying for me and I’m just happy with the result.”
Cantor added: “I still can’t digest the fact that I’m world champion. I want to say a big thank you to my family who always supports me and to my coach, Shahar Zuberi. It is very special and powerful to stand on the podium with Katy by my side. We will stand with the Israeli flag and wave it proudly, because these days it is the most significant thing we can do as athletes, to represent our country with honor.”
The 21-year-old Kantor had a great day of competition, during which she finished in first place in both the quarter-finals and the semi-finals. Later, in the medal race, she crossed the finish line first again – and got the gold medal. Her teammate, Katie Spichkov, completed a huge day for Israel by winning bronze, and the podium picture was completed by the British Emma Wilson.
Kantor’s achievement did not come out of nowhere, as in May 2023 she finished as European runner-up and later in July won the pre-Olympic competition in Marseille. Now, one can perhaps start to fantasize about the first Olympic medal in the sport since 2008, when Shahar Tzuberi, who now accompanies Kantor as the team’s coach, won a bronze in Beijing.
Dawn Zabri, the coach of the women’s windsurfing team, said: “I am happy that we have once again been able to prove that we are a very, very strong team. Sharon deserves to stand at the top of the podium. The situation in the team was very tense before the competition, but despite the pressure, despite the tests and after a competition with many upheavals – we brought two Israeli medals and the title of world champion for the second year in a row. It is not obvious that with all the pressures around and with the hard feeling with everything that is happening in the country, we managed to get here and win the world championship. I feel that I have been given the privilege to work with them and hope that we will continue to bring pride to the country, both in difficult times and in good times”
The Minister of Culture and Sports, Miki Zohar , welcomed: Israeli pride in world sports. Congratulations to surfer Sharon Kantor for winning a gold medal in the World Windsurfing Championship, and to Katie Spichkov for winning bronze. The Israeli achievements these days bring us more respect and pleasure than ever. Now, looking forward to the Paris Olympics, good luck.”
Shay Bover, Chairman of the Sailing Association – “Three years in a row, the team manages to get two medals at the World Championships. It is about the team’s hard work with the coaches Shahar Tzuberi and Stav Baimel and the professional team that surrounds them. Sharon proved today that she is made of different material and even with her back to the wall, after a bad sailing day, she reached the decisive moment and won the three sailings on the way to gold. Kudos to Kati too, for a second consecutive World Championship medal.”
