2025 IKA Youth European Championships in Gizzeria, Calabria - Overall
by International Kiteboarding Association 7 Jul 07:36 BST
30 June - 6 July 2025
Men's podium - 2025 IKA Youth European Championships © IKA Media / Robert Hajduk
Once again, Gizzeria delivered near-perfect racing conditions, with a steady thermal breeze sweeping in from the Tyrrhenian Sea across the Calabrian coast. It set the stage for a thrilling climax to the 2025 Youth European Championships—a week of high-level competition across multiple age groups, with 11 titles up for grabs.
Young Champions Crowned
Four age categories reached their dramatic conclusion
- Jean-Paul Villegas, a 13-year-old from Colombia, outclassed older competitors to claim the U15 Open title.
- Molly O'Brien, just 12, showed exceptional maturity and composure to bring the U15 Girls' title home to the United States.
- Nathan Pearce of Canada secured the U17 Open title, breaking into the Gold Fleet and proving he's a rising star in the sport.
- Karolina Jankowska of Poland took the U17 Girls' title, showcasing consistency throughout the week.
- Gian Stragiotti of Switzerland emerged victorious in the Men's U19, with a strong performance in the grand final.
- In the Women's U19, Derin Deniz Sorguc of Turkey clinched gold with a commanding final race.
Although the Youth European Championships are an open competition, only European riders are eligible for official European titles.
Men's Medal Series: Pianosi's double
The men's Golden Ticket race saw Poland's Jan Koszowski deliver a great performance to secure the final spot in the medal series, but his journey ended there. The repechage was won by Switzerland's Karl Maeder, with Israeli Carmel Avisar close behind. Both advanced to the quarterfinals, where they met Great Britain's Sam Dickinson and Brazil's Lucas Fonseca.
Dickinson and Maeder progressed to the semifinal, where a win would have meant a family showdown between Karl and his brother Max Maeder in the final. But it wasn't to be, Vojtech Koska of Czechia and Gian Stragiotti of Switzerland progressed instead.
That set the stage for a blockbuster final featuring defending champion and home favourite Riccardo Pianosi, Singaporean Max Maeder, Stragiotti, and Koska.
As the top qualifier, Maeder held a one-win advantage—he was on match point. Pianosi and Maeder closely shadowed each other from the start. As the race unfolded, Pianosi edged ahead and crossed the finish line first, nullifying Maeder's advantage.
It would come down to one last race.
In race two, Pianosi executed a brilliant start-line manoeuvre that put him in control. Forced to chase, Maeder overcommitted and picked up a costly penalty after a collision at the bottom mark with Koska. His race was over.
Pianosi claimed his second consecutive Youth European gold. "I'm happy about the week," he said. "I made so many mistakes yesterday, so it feels good to perform when it counts. Max had an amazing week, but I got the win today. That's how the format works, and I'm pleased with the result."
Maeder was gracious in defeat: "It's a bitter pill to swallow. Riccardo pulled the same start move I'd fallen for in a past competition, so I should've known better. But credit to him."
Women's Final: Turkish Delight
The women's final brought together last year's silver medallist Derin Atakan of Turkey and her friend and rival, Youth World Champion Catalina Turienzo of Argentina. Joining them were fellow Turk Derin Deniz Sorguc and Britain's Ella Geiger, both of whom advanced through the medal series.
From the start, Atakan and Turienzo engaged in a tactical match race. At the first turn, they had already distanced themselves from the fleet. By mark three, Atakan had carved out a narrow lead, and she never looked back. With the finish line in sight, the 19-year-old from Istanbul pulled further ahead. "It feels really good," she said. "This whole competition saw me match racing with Catalina. Pushing each other makes us better."
Geiger earned European silver and Sorguc secured bronze, capping off a fantastic day for Turkish sailing with gold and bronze in the women's event.
For more information and results visit www.kiteclasses.org/2025youtheuropeans.