iQfoil Youth & Junior World Championships: gold fleets take center stage in Costa Brava
The 2026 iQFOiL Youth & Junior World Championships reached the halfway mark today at Club de Vela La Ballena Alegre, with sailors once again greeted by brilliant sunshine, intense summer temperatures and conditions very similar to those experienced on the previous racing day.
The championship, which has attracted almost 400 athletes from 36 nations, entered a crucial phase as the fleets split into Gold and Silver Fleets. From today onwards, the top half of the rankings in each category race directly against one another, raising the level of competition as athletes battle for places in the final stages of the championship.
The sea breeze followed much the same pattern as yesterday, building from the east-south-east and producing conditions that, while manageable, remained far from straightforward. The fluctuating breeze demanded constant adjustments from both sailors and race officials throughout the day.
The women’s fleets were first on the water, catching up on unfinished racing from the previous day before adding a full schedule of Sprint Slalom races. The U19 Women completed the remaining race from yesterday along with four additional races, producing significant changes in the standings.
At the top of the fleet, Taisiia Stopchenko (AIN) and France’s Salomé Simon (FRA) are now tied on points, with Stopchenko holding the overall lead on tie-break. Greece’s Danai Giannouli (GRE) drops to third after leading earlier in the championship. The story of the day, however, belonged to reigning U17 World Champion Théa Le Borgne Zibetti (FRA). Racing in the U19 category this season, the French sailor delivered a remarkable comeback, climbing from 24th to 4th overall after a superb series of results that puts her firmly back in contention for the podium.
In the U17 Girls, Turkey’s Parla Kabasakal (TUR) continues her dominant run and remains unbeaten after six races. Behind her, the standings have changed significantly, with Poland’s Michelle Urzykowski (POL) moving into second place after an outstanding performance that included five race victories. Fellow Polish sailor Maria Miarczyńska (POL) now occupies third overall, completing a reshuffled provisional podium.
Later in the afternoon, attention shifted to the Men’s and Boys’ fleets. The U19 Men Gold Fleet completed three races, while the U17 Boys completed four.
In the U19 Men, Italy’s Mattia Saoncella (ITA) continues to set the pace. After another flawless day, he remains the only sailor in the championship with a perfect scoreline and extends his lead at the top of the standings. Turkey’s Artun Şenol (TUR) sits second overall, while Poland’s Leon Jankowski (POL) moves into third as the fight for the championship intensifies.
The U17 Boys leaderboard also began to take a clearer shape following the introduction of Gold Fleet racing. Italy’s Luca Pacchiotti (ITA) emerges as the overall leader after another highly consistent day on the water. Czech sailor Frantisek Burda (CZE) holds second place, while Germany’s Moritz Schleicher (GER) remains third in one of the championship’s most competitive fleets.
Beyond the racing, sailors also had the opportunity to learn more about the championship’s innovative digital race management systems, including the use of video-assisted officiating technology that continues to enhance fairness and transparency on the racecourse.
With the championship now past its halfway point and Gold Fleet racing underway, every race is becoming increasingly important. As the battle for places in the Medal Series begins to take shape, the intensity is only expected to increase over the remaining days of competition on the Costa Brava.
