San Pedro, Los Angeles, USA – 27 July 2025
After six exhilarating days of intense racing, the 2025 ILCA 4 Youth World Championships has officially drawn to a close. The event delivered a true test of skill, perseverance, and sportsmanship, culminating in a dramatic final day on the waters off the Californian coast.
As has been customary throughout the regatta, the day began with the coaches’ meeting at 10:30, followed by the raising of the launch flag at 11:00. Anticipation was palpable in the boat park as sailors arrived—energy levels at an all-time high with championship titles on the line.
The morning’s thick cloud coverage hinted at softer conditions on the water. With the final race cutoff set for 16:00, competitors were keen to make the most of whatever breeze the day would offer. When the Delta flag was raised, sailors launched swiftly and with purpose.
However, by 13:00, the wind remained a light 4–6 knots, prompting the race committee to hoist the AP flag and await the arrival of the reliable seabreeze. At approximately 13:40, a cold Pacific breeze funnelled down the coast and into Los Angeles, building steadily to 8–10 knots, accompanied by rolling waves of around one metre. As it had all week, the seabreeze filled in with impressive consistency.
The first race for the Gold fleets was a fierce contest, with sailors fighting tooth and nail for every remaining point. Time was against them, but the fleets prepared quickly for the final showdown of the championship. Both the Boys’ and Girls’ gold fleets experienced a general recall on their second start, adding a final layer of tension before they successfully got away.
As the final race came to a close, two new ILCA 4 Youth World champions emerged. Blanca Ferrando Babe from Spain and Konstantinos Portesalte from Greece sealed their victories in commanding style, capping off a week of dominance. Both sailors delivered consistent, top-level performances from the very start, leading the standings each day and setting the pace throughout the championship. Their triumphs were met with cheers and celebration, as they marked the moment with a leap into the water alongside their teammates.
“I feel amazing. All the hard work from this year has paid off, so I’m very happy. I lost the European Championship in the last race, so now I’m very happy that I won the Worlds. It was a difficult race because I didn’t start so well. I was trying to get a solid result—like 12th or 20th—to become world champion. I managed to do it, and I was really happy on the final downwind. I want to thank all my family, my friends, my coach, and my teammates who pushed me throughout the year. I had a fantastic team to train with, and I’m really grateful for that.” – Konstantinos Portosalte GRE.
The Under 16 championship titles were claimed by Derin Bartan from Turkey and Nathan Wehrle from France. Derin earned double honours by finishing third overall, securing not only the Under 16 title but also the Bronze medal in the main fleet.
The top ten sailors in each fleet represented a wide and diverse range of nations, highlighting the international strength and spirit of the competition.
Girls – Top 10 Overall
- Blanca Ferrando Babe ESP 56 pt
- Isabella Suazo PER 66 pt
- Derin Bartan TUR 79 pt
- Derin Degisen TUR 93 pt
- Elene Alchanati GRE 94 pt
- Beata Dokoupilova CZE 96 pt
- Adele Ramm-Ericson SWE 100 pt
- Giulia Marella ITA 100 pt
- Fragkiski Kosma GRE 117 pt
- Nika Fornazar CRO 130 pt
Girls – Top 10 Under 16
- Derin Bartan TUR 79 pt
- Gabriela Mascarenhas USA 162 pt
- Monica Osha Perez ESP 185 pt
- Jessica Powell GBR 196 pt
- Sofia Berteotti ITA 208 pt
- Francisca Puig Bonet ESP 227 pt
- Marta Ferrando Babe ESP 249 pt
- Alice Wan CAN 251 pt
- Ruoxian Wu CHN 283 pt
- Zixi Huang HKG 289 pt
Boys – Top 10 Overall
- Konstantinos Portosalte GRE 46 pt
- Erik Scheidt BRA 77 pt
- Sadrihan Suer TUR 83 pt
- Emmanouil Vomvylas GRE 85 pt
- Nathan Wehrle FRA 86 pt
- Nikko Palou ESP 89 pt
- Stefanos Samaras GRE 92 pt
- Charalampos Velianitis HKG 108 pt
- Edi Jurman CRO 132 pt
- Ian Goh SGP 150 pt
Boys – Top 10 Under 16
- Nathan Wehrle FRA 86 pt
- Nikko Palou ESP 89 pt
- Stefanos Samaras GRE 92 pt
- Toby Waggett GBR 177 pt
- Sinan Uslu TUR 192 pt
- Tiago Cheng de Villemor Salgado HKG 212 pt
- Leo Gosling SUI 213 pt
- Timothy Liu USA 243 pt
- Arel Hangul TUR 253 pt
- Davide Cafagna ITA 277 pt
This year’s championship showcased the depth of talent across over 30 nations, setting a new standard for youth sailing on future Olympic waters.
A heartfelt congratulations goes out to every sailor who took part in this year’s ILCA 4 Youth World Championship.
The next chapter in the ILCA calendar awaits, with the 2025 ILCA 6 Youth World Championships just around the corner. Fair winds, and see you on the water!
How to relive the 2025 ILCA 4 Youth World Championships
We consistently posted reports throughout the event, including links to results and photo galleries at ilcasailing.org. Full details about the competition were also available on the official event website: 2025ilca4youth.ilca-worlds.org.
Live coverage—including interviews, videos, and photos—was shared daily across ILCA’s social media channels. Be sure to follow and subscribe to stay up to date with the latest content:
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.