2024 Youth Sailing World Championships

This year’s AEGEAN 600, organized by the Hellenic Offshore Racing Club (HORC) and co-organised by Olympic Marine, has in its 4th annual edition once again proven to be among the world’s most challenging 600-mile races. The largest-ever turnout of 69 entries from 24 countries encountered a huge range of conditions that competitors needed to conquer to complete the course – from dead calms to gale-force winds – provided a suitable test of skill for any offshore sailing team, professional and amateur alike. All teams on all boats were challenged this year.

The start on Sunday afternoon was, as always, spectacular: with spectators lining the cliffs above Cape Sounio at the Ancient Temple of Poseidon the fleet got off to a fast start in the teeth of a brisk Meltemi. The two MOD 70’s quickly sped off towards the first island at Milos at amazing speed, and with the fastest monohulls not far behind they transited the gate through the caldera of Santorini within several hours of the start. The bulk of the fleet made that transit in the dawn hours of Monday.

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Carola Colasanto recorded a perfect start to the Youth Sailing World Championships 2024 with four bullets in four races on the first day of official racing on Lake Garda.

In the iQFOiL windsurfing heats, the Italian was nearly matched by Great Britain’s Darcey Shaw, who claimed bronze in Brazil last year and finished on equal points after securing three bullets in her four races.

Italian counterparts Lisa Vucetti and Vittorio Bonifacio claimed the first official bullet of the entire event and capped off another perfect opening day in the mixed dinghy.

Home advantage played into the 420 pair’s hands as early strong winds helped them cruise to two wins.

Polish pair Ewa Lewandowska and Krzysztof Królik remained the most consistent in the men’s/mixed skiff while British duo Finian Morris and Charlie Green also impressed in their second and third races of the day.

Windsurfing – Youth iQFOiL

Colasanto stole the headlines on day one in the women’s windsurfing event, charging to claim all four bullets with an electric start following some minor delays to racing.

The Italian competed in a separate fleet to Great Britain’s Shaw and set up an exciting head-to-head for the rest of the week.

The pair finished on the same net points despite Shaw finishing third in the second race as Czechia’s Nela Sadílková came closest to the duo with nine points.

Home hero Federico Pilloni recorded three out of four results in the top three to come out the leader of his event on seven points.

He was followed by Val Erzen who was two points behind as Estonia’s Aksel Haava ended the day in fifth, despite claiming two bullets on the racecourse.

Mixed Dinghy – 420

Fresh from claiming a European title in the class, Vucetti and Bonifacio got out of the blocks quickest and used all their momentum to take the first two 420 bullets.

“We’re very happy because we got a good start,” Vucetti said. “We were already in front for the rest of the races.”

Bonifacio said: “We always have to do the best for the next race, the race is the same as today but we will be stronger and we are concentrating because we want to stay consistent.”

Spanish pairing Miguel Padron Ferrer and Luis Mesa Oliver challenged the hosts well, scoring eight points overall with all to challenge for across the rest of the week.

Colin Postel and Theo Henry of France and Slovenia’s Rok Kovačič and Teo Gerželj finished on 12 points each in joint third overall.

Kite – Formula Kite

In the men’s formula kite, things remain close at the top of the standings after four races but it was Brazil’s Lucas Pes Fonseca who shone on day one.

The South American won three out of four races with Swiss star Gian Andrea Stragiotti pipping him for a bullet in the third race.

In the women’s kite, Argentinian talent Maria Catalina Turienzo claimed all three race bullets while Meijing Xiao and reigning youth world champion Derin Atakan completed the top three in all three races.

Dinghy – ILCA 6

A steady opening was key in the men’s dinghy for New Zealand’s Zach Stibbe, who finished on 12 points after finishing sixth in both opening races.

Alexandros Kyfidis of Greece finished joint top with Stibbe after recording a third and ninth place finish.

The Netherlands’ Hidde Schraffordt stormed the racecourse for a bullet in race one, finishing the day just a point behind.

He said: “It was great, I had a good start but it’s very tricky racing at the moment and I’m just looking forward to the next race.”

“I’ve been training here for a week and it’s been great every day, it’s always sunny.”

“We’ll get a good start again hopefully like the last race and see how it goes.”

Hermionie Ghicas of Greece and Ukraine’s Alina Shapovalova took the top two spots with a bullet each in their ILCA 6 openers.

The Netherlands’ Amelie Swan finished on 22 points and took the positives from a second-place finish in the second race of the day.

Maria Vittoria Arseni enters the rest with nine points after a consistent showing for third overall.

“It was about just keeping the fleet behind me,” Ghicas said. “My heart rate is not that high because every time when I race I cancel everything and I don’t care if I’m first, I continue with zero because it’s only the first day.”