Terceira, Azores, the island of volcanoes and vast Atlantic skies, provided a breathtaking yet brutal stage for the 2025 Formula Kite Youth World Championships.
With big swells, unpredictable gusts and shifting winds, riders faced a true test of skill, nerve and resilience amid the dramatic backdrop of the Azores.
Pianosi world champion, again
Fresh from his senior World Championship victory in Sardinia just weeks earlier, Italy’s Riccardo Pianosi arrived on Terceira riding a wave of confidence. But if the 20-year-old thought another title would come easily, the Atlantic had other ideas.
Defending champion Gian Stragiotti and Singapore’s Max Maeder were among a strong fleet determined to stop the Italian’s winning streak. Over a week of ferocious racing, competitors battled relentless squalls and huge seas that pushed even the most experienced riders to their limits.
The event also shone a light on the sport’s future stars: Jean-Paul Liechti Villegas, just 13, displayed remarkable composure and consistency for Colombia, while Thailand’s Thanawat Promwaen, aged only 10, earned admiration for his courage as he took on the towering swe
When the final showdown came, the line-up reflected age and experience: Pianosi, Maeder, Stragiotti and Vojtěch Koska of Czechia. A dramatic start saw three kites surge forward while Maeder was left struggling in a wind-hole.
Pianosi seized the lead, Stragiotti edged past Koska, and from there the Italian never looked back.
Crossing the finish line first, Pianosi clinched his second world title of the year. “I’m so happy about this win on a tricky day. Conditions have not been easy this week but it’s been good in the end. This season can’t finish better than this!” said the 20 year old who also won the senior and youth European titles this year.
Turienzo’s grit sees her take one more Youth World title
The women’s competition reignited a familiar rivalry between Turkey’s Derin Atakan and Argentina’s Catalina Turienzo, the pair proving again to be the benchmark for the fleet.