San Pedro, Los Angeles, USA – 26 July 2025
Yesterday marked the second day of the Final series at the 2025 ILCA 4 Youth World Championships, and sailors arrived determined to push themselves to the limit on the racecourse.
The day began under a blanket of cloud, but by late morning the sun broke through — a clear sign that the sea breeze would soon arrive. The usual schedule unfolded with the coaches’ meeting at 10:30, followed by the Delta flag at 11:00. The boat park buzzed with positive energy as sailors launched promptly, towing out to the course with no time to lose.
The first warning signal sounded at 13:00, right on schedule. Racing began in 8–10 knots of breeze, with light chop and occasional swells rolling through. The Gold fleets — boys and girls — were first to race on the outer course, followed by the boys and girls Silver fleets.
As the afternoon progressed, the wind built steadily to around 15 knots, and swell heights increased to 1–1.5 metres, mirroring the challenging conditions of the previous day. A noticeable current across the racecourse added another layer of complexity, making it trickier for sailors to hold their position on the line and round marks cleanly.
Sailors rose to the occasion, hiking hard and eager for more action. The race committee kept things moving and had the second race underway within an hour. As the breeze strengthened further, the racing became even more physical and tactical, with sailors pushing themselves to stay fast and in control.
Meanwhile, the venue welcomed a special guest: Michael Downing, World Sailing’s Olympic Manager. With the recent announcement that this site will host the sailing events for the 2028 Olympic Games, it was a significant moment for the ILCA 4 class — the very first fleet to race on these future Olympic waters.
By late afternoon, competitors made their way back to shore, where they were treated to a hot meal provided by a local restaurant — a welcome end to a demanding day.
With only one day remaining, provisional leaders in all four championships are the following:
Girls’ World Championships
Spanish sailor Blanca Ferrando Babe ESP continues to lead the Girls fleet with one day remaining, having delivered a remarkably consistent performance throughout the week. Holding the top position since the start of the championship, she has shown both skill and composure in varying conditions. She currently leads with 40 net points and 51 total, discarding just an 11th place.
Turkish sailor Derin Bartan TUR has all but secured the Under 16 championship title, holding a commanding 70-point lead over her closest rival. Her impressive form also sees her in contention for an overall podium finish, after a strong performance yesterday that propelled her from 5th to 3rd place in the general standings.
Between the two leaders in the different championships comes Isabella Suazo PER on the second place overall with 57 points.
Girls’ Overall
- Blanca Ferrando Babe ESP 40 pt
- Isabella Suazo PER 57 pt
- Derin Bartan TUR 61 pt
- Fragkiski Kosma GRE 68 pt
- Adele Ramm-Ericson SWE 68 pt
Girls’ Under 16
- Derin Bartan TUR 61 pt
- Gabriela Mascarenhas USA 121 pt
- Monica Osha Perez ESP 135 pt
- Sofia Berteotti ITA 138 pt
- Jessica Powell GBR 156 pt
Boys’ World Championships
The boys’ overall championship continues to be led by Greek sailor Konstantinos Portosalte GRE, who currently holds 27 points. After ten races, he has recorded top 10 finishes in all but one race — a 71-point DSQ that he is discarding — leaving him little room for error in today’s final races.
Second place remains with fellow Greek sailor Emmanouil Vomvylas GRE. Although a 33rd place finish yesterday in the first race — now discarded — has reduced his chances of taking the lead, the 15-point gap means the title is far from decided.
Rising steadily, Spanish sailor Nikko Palou ESP, known for his all-round sailing and strength in heavier conditions, has moved up to lead the Under 16 category and now holds third place overall with 59 points, discarding a 24th place finish.
Boys’ Overall
- Konstantinos Portosalte GRE 27 pt
- Emmanouil Vomvylas GRE 42 pt
- Nikko Palou ESP 59 pt
- Stefanos Samaras GRE 60 pt
- Nathan Wehrle FRA 62 pt
Boys’ Under 16
- Nikko Palou ESP 59 pt
- Stefanos Samaras GRE 60 pt
- Nathan Wehrle FRA 62 pt
- Toby Waggett GBR 103 pt
- Sinan Uslu TUR 131 pt
More wind, more intensity, and two races left to decide it all. Keep following for the final showdown!
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.