Israeli Windsurfers Win Gold and Silver at World Championships

Israeli windsurfers Tamar Steinberg and Sharon Kantor secured gold and silver medals, respectively, at the World Championships on Saturday. The final race featured three Israeli competitors out of four participants, highlighting a significant achievement for Israeli sailing and sports overall.

Steinberg, the newly crowned world champion, expressed her joy and relief after a challenging race. "I wanted this so badly. Not everything we want happens, but this really happened and I am happy," she stated. She described the final as intensely competitive, with Kantor close behind. "I felt Sharon breathing down my neck, she also led at the beginning, but we fought until the end. I am happy for her too and for Daniela and Shahar who had an amazing week. This final was almost an Israeli Championship final, so it's amazing."

Steinberg also reflected on a successful 2026 season, thanking the Sailing Association, her coaches, and her support team. "This is our new year in Israel and I think some of my family and friends are watching right now, so I'm really happy to bring them a smile today," she added.

Shahar Tzuri, the women's national team coach, praised the team's preparation and performance. "We aimed to reach the World Championships at the highest level of preparation, as this is the target competition for the year, and we met the mission excellently," he said. He commended the sailors and the professional staff, including the fitness coach and psychologist, for creating excellent conditions. Tzuri noted the difficulty of maintaining such a high level consistently, especially with intense competition both globally and internally among the Israeli team, expressing immense pride in their repeated success at the top.