San Pedro, Los Angeles, USA – 24 July 2025
Classic conditions and fierce competition set the stage as sailors fought to secure their places in tomorrow’s finals.
Yesterday marked the final day of the qualifying series, and Los Angeles delivered classic conditions for an epic day on the water. Under clear skies and warm temperatures, sailors began arriving at the venue around 10:00 AM and quickly set about rigging—an early sign that the sea breeze would soon be filling in.
As usual, the day began with a coaches’ briefing in the amphitheatre, where course updates and the day’s schedule were confirmed. A key change saw the Girls’ fleet starting first on the outer course, followed by the Boys on the inner course.
With Gold and Silver fleet splits on the line, the boat park was filled with anticipation and focus. At 11:00 AM, the Delta flag was raised, sending competitors out for what proved to be an exhilarating afternoon of racing.
The first warning signal sounded promptly at 1:00 PM in a steady breeze of 10–13 knots, gusting up to 16. Choppy waves—measuring nearly one metre—added an extra physical challenge.
Race 1 got underway cleanly and featured fast, splashy conditions that favoured confident, physical sailing. The fleet responded with energy—plenty of smiles and full-hike moments were seen across the water. After the opening race, course marks were adjusted to accommodate the strengthening sea breeze, which continued to build and settle through the afternoon.
With the breeze up and the waves rolling, the remainder of the day delivered thrilling, high-intensity racing that tested boat handling and endurance across the fleet. Sailors returned to shore around 5:00 PM, greeted by a California classic—In-N-Out burgers served fresh from an iconic local food truck.
The finals series begins today. The top three sailors overall have earned their pinnies and are now set to battle for the ultimate prize: the title of World Champion.
The provisional top five after three days are as follows:
Girls’ Overall Championship
- Blanca Ferrando Babe ESP 17 pt
- Isabella Suazo PER 19 pt
- Derin Bartan TUR 21 pt
- Eleni Alchanati GRE 23 pt
- Nika Fornazar CRO 26 pt
Girls’ Under 16 Championship
- Derin Bartan TUR 21 pt
- Monica Osha Perez ESP 40 pt
- Gabriela Mascarenhas USA 44 pt
- Francisca Puig Bonet ESP 58 pt
- Marta Ferrando Babe ESP 68 pt
Boys’ Overall Championship
- Konstantinos Portosalte GRE 7 pt
- Emmanouil Vomvylas GRE 13 pt
- Stefanos Samaras GRE 20 pt
- Erik Scheidt BRA 22 pt
- Nathan Wehrle FRA 24 pt
Boys’ Under 16 Championship
- Stefanos Samaras GRE 20 pt
- Nathan Wehrle FRA 24 pt
- Nikko Palou ESP 39 pt
- Toby Waggett GBR 57 pt
- Sinan Uslu TUR 62 pt
Two new races are scheduled for today, so stay tuned!
How to follow the 2025 ILCA 4 Youth World Championships
We’ll be publishing a daily report with links to results and photos at ilcasailing.org. You can find all information about the competition on the event website: https://2025ilca4youth.ilca-worlds.org. Live action with interviews, videos, and pictures will also be posted daily across ILCA’s social media channels. We encourage you to follow and subscribe to stay instantly notified about the latest updates:
About ILCA 4 Youth World Championships
The ILCA 4 Youth World Championships is a premier international sailing event, bringing together young sailors from around the world to compete at the highest level in the ILCA 4 class. The competition offers a platform for talented athletes to showcase their skills, make lifelong connections, and take the next step toward elite sailing careers.
Report by Agustín Argüelles – ILCA | Photos by Simone Staff – Seaster Media.