Practice sessions are underway in Vilamoura and the world’s best young sailors are ready to take on the Youth Sailing World Championships. The competitive races begin on Monday and the action is being live streamed on World Sailing TV’s YouTube channel. Here is a look at what to expect…
ILCA 6
Both male and female ILCA 6 events will consist of nine races, with two apiece on the opening four days and one on the final day of competition.
Among the contenders in the female field is Ukraine’s Alina Shapovalova, who was fifth at this competition last year and finished second at August’s ILCA 6 Youth World Championships.
New Zealand’s Chloe Turner claimed the global U17 crown at the same event, while Argentina’s Delfina Kuttel finished just outside the podium places in fourth at last year’s Youth Sailing World Championships. Fidan Aghazada, meanwhile, flies the flag for Azerbaijan as they compete in this competition for the first time.
Alessandro Cirinei looks the sailor to beat in the male field. The Italian arrives as the reigning champion in both the ILCA 6 Youth Boys World Championships and the ILCA 6 Men’s World Championship, which he won in Kiel in June.
Croatia’s Josip Tafra and Argentina’s Joaquin Galvan, who rounded out the Youth Boys World Championship podium, are both in the line-up here along with Australia’s Healy Ryan, who won the 2024 U17 European Championships.
420
The 420 crews, who will also compete in nine races, have had valuable recent experience of winter conditions in Vilamoura having taken part in the Youth Portugal Grand Prix earlier in December.
American pair Harrison Gandy and Joseph Panebianco claimed victory while Turkey’s Can Çaçur and Aras Sengün completed the podium in third on that occasion. The favourites, however, are Brazil’s Said Royo and Bernardo Oliveira, who have won Open European and World Championships in this class this year.
Sokratis Chamarias and Iason Xypas, of Greece, claimed silver behind the Brazilians at the World Championships and will bid to turn the tables this week.
There are three sets of siblings in the male/mixed class – Alejandro and Lucas Cadarso, from Peru, Argentina’s Joaquin and Franco Blousson, and Canadian brothers William and John Keilty.
Spain’s Neus Fernandez Darder and Martina Gomila Darder claimed 420 World Championship gold and Junior European Championship silver so far in 2025, and resume their intriguing battle with Greece’s Georgia Faviou and Amalia Papanikita, who claimed World Championship silver.
Elizabeth Xydas and Alexandra ‘Coco’ Kolaya, who won the US Youth Championships at Fort Lauderdale in October, are also in the hunt along with New Zealand’s Tessa Clinton and Amelia Higson, who were second at the recent Grand Prix.
29er
The 29er events will consist of 13 races, with three over each of the first four days of competition and one on the final day.
Poland’s Alicja Dampc won this event last year alongside Alicja Tutkowska and now returns with Antonina Puchowska, with whom she has teamed up to win World and European 29er titles in 2025. Italy’s Bianca Marchesini and Lucia Finato were second behind the Polish pair at the World Championships.
The female class has no fewer than five pairs of sisters taking part – Austria’s Antonia and Charlotte Senger-Weiss, Japan’s Natsumi and Natsuko Funazawa, Germany’s Marie and Antonia Schwarz, Hong Kong’s Sienne and Tomoe Thiry, and the USA’s Sophie and Matilda Niemann.
Nolann Huet Des Aunay and Titouan Gresset, of France, finished third at the 29er World Championships earlier this year and earned silver at the Europeans ahead of Switzerland’s Ikke Hubber and Liam Berger, who have had an excellent season and will soon transition to the 49er FX.
Nacra 15
The Nacra 15 class will also contain 13 races, split in the same way as the 29er.
Italy’s Lorenzo Sirena and Alice Dessy, who won gold on home waters in this competition at Lake Garda last year, backed up that success with Nacra 15 World Championship gold earlier this year.
France’s Emilie Mansouri and Marius Praud claimed silver at the same event and will bid to turn the tables here.
The Spanish pair, Pepe Garcia Grindille and Aina Rivas, are following in illustrious footsteps. Garcia Grindille’s mother, Julia Garcia, won the Yngling World Championships in 2002, while Rivas’ father Toni was part of the sparring team who helped Fernando Echavarri and Anton Paz win Olympic Tornado gold at Beijing 2008. Toni is coaching the Spanish duo here.
iQFOiL
The windsurfers will compete in 18 races across the week – four per day between Monday and Thursday, then two on Friday.
Five of the six U19 medallists from the 2025 iQFOiL Youth & Junior World Championships will be in action, including both champions.
Australia’s Rory Meehan won the male event and has been part of three gold fleets at senior regattas this year, while he was among the nominees for Young World Sailor of the Year. Turkey’s Artun Senol and Italy’s Mattia Saoncella, who rounded off the Youth & Junior World Championship podium, are also both in the field.
In the female class, Medea Falcioni is looking to build on her Youth & Junior World Championship victory, while Turkey’s Nurhayat Güven finished third in Brest.
Formula Kite
The formula kite competition will also consist of 18 races as the world’s best young kiteboarders go head-to-head.
The women’s fleet contains the youngest member of the American team, 13-year-old Molly O’Brien, as well as Poland’s Karolina Jankowska and Turkey’s Derin Deniz Sorguc, who finished third and fourth respectively at the Formula Kite Youth World Championships this year.
Gian Andrea Stragiotti, of Switzerland, finished second in the male class at that event and won his second consecutive U19 European Youth Championship gold in the summer. Israel’s Carmel Avisar won bronze on that occasion and is also among those going for glory in Vilamoura.
