Preview: NextGen stars prepare for Youth Sailing World Championships

The world’s brightest talents will put on a show between 13-20 July for a shot at sailing glory with medals up for grabs across 11 events on Italy’s largest lake.

Last year, at the Championships in Armação dos Buzios, Brazil, Formula Kite and iQFOiL introduced Male and Female categories for the first time.

The 29er Skiff, 420, ILCA 6 as well as the Mixed Two Person Multihull, the Nacra 15 make up the offering of classes and events across the week.

More than 400 sailors will descend across five clubs on the lake with a host of countries from around the world represented in the fold, including those on the Emerging Nations Program.

Prodigious three-time champion Max Maeder is just one of the names sailors will be hoping to emulate on the water this summer, with his Olympic campaign on the horizon following a rapid rise through the ranks.

With the Paris 2024 Olympic Games just days away following the Championships’ conclusion, the Youth Sailing World Championships allows sailors to take the next steps on their journey to senior success.

Formula Kite

Reigning champion Türkiye’s Derin Atakan is back on the water for her title defence in the female Formula Kite.

She edged out Argentina’s Catalina Turienzo last time out in Brazil despite the silver medallist claiming victory in the final race with it all to play for in Italy between the pair.

With Maeder on Olympic duty in Marseille, a new champion will be crowned in the men’s Formula Kite.

29er

Ewa Lewandowska and Krzysztof Krolik enter Lake Garda fresh from a European Championships win on home waters in Poland less than a week ago.

Lewandowska teamed up with Julia Maria Zmudzinska in December for gold in the female 29er and enters this year in an even stronger position alongside Krolik in the male/mixed 29er this year.

Swiss pair Malena Rüegge and Liv Wicki are back in the female skiff with an eye for the podium after securing fourth place in Brazil.

iQFOiL

It is the third instalment of the iQFOiL class at the Youth Sailing World Championships and Great Britain’s Darcey Shaw will be hoping it will be her year for gold after grabbing a bronze medal in Brazil.

Czechia’s Kristyna Pinosova emerged with victory last time out but her absence may open doors for Shaw who finished 17 points behind the winner after being pipped by a point for silver by Lina Erzen of Slovenia.

France’s Noé Garandeau is in a similar position in the male windsurfing event, holding off stiff opposition from Erzen’s brother Val to secure bronze last time out.

The pair are both entered this year as Erzen will look to advance on finishing second in all of the final day’s races last year.

420

Greece’s Danai Giannouli and Iakovina Kerkezou settled for bronze in South America after entering the female event as reigning world and European champions.

They will be looking to recapture a world title on Italian waters, though Zeynep Çaçur and Zeynep Ela Koy will be just one crew standing in their way as they return from a fifth-place finish in December.

In the male/mixed event, Lisa Vucetti and Vittorio Bonifacio will fly the host nation’s flag as January and Jeremi Szczukowski make it a family affair for Poland.

Nacra 15

Twelve teams will battle it out in the Nacra 15 class including Belgium’s Hannelien and Sander Borghijs who came fifth place less than 12 months ago.

China’s Shuaizhen Peng and Xiao Mu Wu also return from last year for another shot at making their mixed multihull mark.

ILCA 6

Spain’s Adriana Castro Nuñez is one to watch in the women’s ILCA 6 following some consistent racing in Brazil for fifth place in South America.

In the men’s, Hidde Schraffordt is targeting a place on the podium after coming fourth in December. Experience at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia Regatta and the EurILCA U21 European Championships this year sets him up well for a podium charge.