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Ghio was understandbly excited by his position: “Finishing the year with a podium is an amazing end to an amazing year and what a wonderful place to celebrate with my friends and supporters.”
Reflecting on his win, Manowiecki said: “I destroyed this event. I didn’t give anyone any space. I put it in my mind that I wanted to win it in one race and I did. I’m so happy! This is for all my supporters.”
Spanu completes glorious triple crown
The women’s competition centred on Italy’s Maddalena Spanu, unbeaten all season and already in possession of the World Cup title. The Brazil crown, however, had long eluded her.
In the early rounds, Brazil’s Paloma Guttierez progressed from the repechage with an impressive second place. Germany’s Jette Koep then emerged strongest in the quarter-final, finishing ahead of France’s Oriane Ceris, who had earlier won the repechage.
The semi-final saw Greece’s Aimilia Kosti, back to form after a difficult week caused by a damaged wing, secure her place in the final alongside the consistent Koep.
Women’s final
In the title decider, Spanu reaffirmed her dominance. A sharp start put her immediately in control, with Kosti chasing and 16-year-old Vaina Picot continuing her remarkable rise by moving into second. Yet Spanu was never seriously challenged, crossing the line to claim gold in Brazil at last. The Sardinian was emotional afterwards: “I’m so stoked for this title. It’s amazing, I’m without words. 2025 was like living a dream. I never thought I’d end a year of events undefeated. Everything was incredibly perfect.”
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