RS500 World Championship 2025 at Follonica, Italy

by RS Sailing 14 Aug 07:23 BST 4-8 August 2025

The RS500 World Championship 2025 brought an unforgettable blend of competitive racing, international camaraderie, and sun-soaked celebration to Follonica, Italy, from 4th to 8th August.

Hosted by the team at Lega Navale Italiana Follonica (LNI Follonica), the event welcomed 84 sailors from seven nations - Italy, UK, Netherlands, Czech Republic, France, Switzerland and Hungary - for five exhilarating days of racing on the beautiful waters of the Gulf of Follonica.

A World Championship Rooted in Passion and Community

From the opening ceremony on Sunday 3rd August, to the final awards presentation on Friday evening, this year's RS500 World Championship reflected everything RS loves about this class: exciting, close-fought racing, a welcoming international community, and a vibrant programme of social events that made everyone feel part of something special.

The Mayor of Follonica, Matteo Buoncristiani, summed it up beautifully at the start of the event: "Hosting the RS500 World Championship is a great pride for Follonica. These events bring international visibility, economic energy, and strengthen our city's identity as a place of passion and hospitality."

Close Competition and Home-Grown Champions

The Gulf of Follonica delivered a variety of conditions across the week, keeping sailors on their toes and showcasing the RS500 at its best: fast, responsive and fun in every breeze.

Local heroes Gabriele Corsi and Giulia Galletti of LNI Follonica put on a masterclass in consistency and tactical sailing, leading from day one and clinching the title with two bullets and a fourth on the final day. Their victory on home waters was not just a personal triumph - it was a moment of pride for the whole Italian sailing community.

The final podium:

1st - ITA: Gabriele Corsi & Giulia Galletti (LNI Follonica)
2nd - GBR: Paul Cullen & Fresh Abbendstern (Bough Beech / RDNBYC)
3rd - ITA: Iacopo Roncuzzi & Federico Roncuzzi (Circolo Nautico del Savio)

With three different nations finishing in the top five, the competition demonstrated the growing strength and global reach of the RS500 fleet.

Racing Hard, Celebrating Together

While the sailing delivered plenty of drama and excitement on the water, the experience ashore was just as important. Daily post-race pizza gatherings at the club offered a chance to debrief, share stories and connect across borders - a signature feature of RS events.

The social programme was packed with moments to remember:

• A lively Opening Ceremony set the tone on Sunday.
• Tuesday's Eurocup Prize Giving and International Class Party brought together past and future champions.
• Wednesday's Sailors' Dinner was a highlight of community spirit.
• Thursday's legendary Dutch Party added international flavour.
• And on Friday, the World Championship Prize Giving capped the week in style.

As Azzurra Droghini, Follonica's Sport and Tourism Assessor, put it: "The RS500 World Championship perfectly represents the synergy between sport, natural beauty and warm hospitality."

More Than a Regatta - A Movement

RS Sailing is committed to making sailing accessible, exciting and community-driven. The RS500 World Championship in Follonica was a perfect expression of these values. This is a class that brings together youth and experience, serious racers and passionate newcomers, in boats that are made for performance and fun.

RS Sailing applauds the work of the International RS500 Class Association, LNI Follonica's amazing volunteers, and the sailors who made the journey from across Europe to be part of something bigger than just a championship - it was a celebration of why we all sail.

Michiel Geerling, Commercial Director at RS Sailing, commented: "As proud builders of the RS500, RS Sailing celebrates the incredible energy and dedication of the International Class Association, the host club, and every sailor who came together to make this World Championship a true highlight of the 2025 sailing season."

Congratulations again to Gabriele and Giulia, and to every crew who competed. RS can't wait to see you all back on the water soon.

Overall Results:

Pos	Nat	Sail No	Helm / Age / Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	Pts
1	ITA	1030	Gabriele Corsi‑Giulia Galletti / MISTO‑20‑22 / Lni Follonica‑Lni Follonica	3	1	2	1	2	3	4	6	1	4	1	18
2	GBR	529	Paul Cullen‑Fresh Abendstern / M‑49‑29 / Bough Beech‑RDNBYC	2	6	4	5	10	1	3	13	5	14	9	45
3	ITA	1604	Iacopo Roncuzzi‑Federico Roncuzzi / M‑24‑25 / Circolo Nautico del Savio‑Circolo nautico del savio	9	5	3	11	7	8	14	25	3	2	6	54
4	NED	972	Jesper Overbeeke‑Merle Meinhardt / MISTO‑28‑24 / WV Braassemermeer‑D.S.W.Z Broach	6	7	12	4	8	16	2	2	8	7	13	56
5	ITA	77	Arturo Beltrando‑Enea Beltrando / M‑21‑18 / AVNO‑AVNO	17	8	1	8	1	2	7	26	15	12	19	71
6	GBR	978	Emma McEwen‑Luke McEwen / MISTO‑51‑51 / Royal Lymington YC‑Royal Lymington YC	13	2	5	dsq	6	4	19	14	10	3	14	71
7	NED	971	Hylke Kooistra ‑Thomas Holewijn / M‑31‑30	10	9	17	3	26	5	1	31	18	8	2	73
8	ITA	1110	Giuseppe Bicocchi F.M.‑Massimiliano Scalzulli / M‑16‑20 / CNF‑Circolo Nautico del Savio	4	10	20	7	12	15	21	16	4	1	4	73
9	ITA	944	Tommaso Fossati‑Michele Anzivino / M‑19‑16 / Per‑Sport SSD‑Per‑Sport SSD	5	3	11	15	11	12	10	17	24	6	5	78
10	ITA	1611	Matteo Gorni‑Raffaello Spadini / M‑18‑18 / Lni Follonica‑Lni Follonica‑	7	24	13	20	5	6	16	1	13	18	3	82
11	ITA	1023	Matteo Carissoni‑Edoardo Novaro / M‑19‑19 / SanBàrt‑SanBàrt	24	11	6	12	15	19	13	4	2	13	11	87
12	CZE	1775	Monika Krenková‑Kristýna Krenková / F‑18‑18 / YCLSBrno‑YCLSBrno	1	12	7	2	23	18	5	22	16	25	7	90
13	ITA	696	Anna Mosso‑Michele Rulli / MISTO‑15‑15 / LNI Follonica‑LNI Follonica	18	20	16	10	4	14	26	3	9	9	26	103
14	GBR	1681	Peter Curtis‑James Curtis / M‑62‑29 / Grafham Water Sailing Club‑Grafham Water Sailing Club	21	ocs	10	23	13	13	11	7	7	11	16	109
15	ITA	892	Alberto Bocciardi‑Jacopo Bocciardi / M‑18‑18 / LNI Follonica‑LNI Follonica	15	14	9	13	14	7	8	19	14	29	ufd	113
16	NED	1660	Bruno Goris‑Edith Kanters / MISTO‑56‑53 / WV Braassemermeer‑WV Braassemermeer	23	16	22	16	9	10	ret	10	11	5	15	114
17	NED	1075	Martijn Walrave‑Lotte Spee / MISTO‑24‑20 / WV Braassemermeer‑WV Braassemermeer	14	18	15	21	16	27	6	11	12	10	17	119
18	GBR	1689	Mike Saul‑Oliver Kent / M‑68‑23 / yorkshire dales‑yorkshire dales	8	13	18	6	19	20	9	20	17	19	dnc	129
19	NED	1731	Daphne Somers‑Melani de Bat / F‑23‑21 / WV de Schelde‑WV Breskens	12	31	19	22	29	24	23	15	20	15	12	162
20	ITA	1728	Federico Bastini‑Carlotta Traverso / MISTO‑17‑18 / SanBàrt‑SanBàrt	11	4	25	19	3	21	ufd	28	32	37	22	165
21	NED	1757	Victor Oudsen‑Maartje Zaalberg / MISTO‑28‑24 / W.s.v. De Braassemermeer‑A.L.S.Z.V De Blauwe Schuit	19	22	8	28	17	11	28	12	28	31	27	172
22	ITA	1109	Matteo Focaccia‑Leonardo Berti / M‑21‑22 / Circolo Velico Ravennate‑Ravenna Yacht Club	16	17	29	24	20	9	35	29	23	23	20	181
23	FRA	1758	OLIVIER THOMAS‑Paco THOMAS / M‑56‑27 / CVLM‑CVLM	22	21	39	31	27	26	27	8	22	27	8	188
24	ITA	1013	Viola Pagotto‑Pietro Imparato / MISTO‑17‑18 / SanBàrt‑SanBàrt	33	19	27	32	30	33	15	5	21	17	23	189
25	ITA	801	Edoardo Battia‑Elia Leone / M‑16‑22 / AVNO‑AVNO	26	27	21	18	24	17	24	38	25	16	33	198
26	ITA	1615	Francesco Trucchi‑Raffaella Trucchi / MISTO‑20‑23 / Circolo nautico del savio‑Circolo nautico del savio	28	15	30	14	28	23	29	30	19	34	24	210
27	ITA	1702	Amerigo Bottura‑Alessandro Casadei / M‑16‑16 / CVR‑CNS	34	34	38	37	31	32	18	34	6	21	10	220
28	CZE	1737	Anna Grabarczyková‑Lukáš Šmidtmajer / MISTO‑17‑19 / YCLS Brno‑YCLS Brno	dnc	25	23	17	25	30	22	37	30	22	28	222
29	ITA	1074	Giulia Lusini‑Camilla Parrinelli / F‑17‑15 / LNI Follonica‑LNI Follonica	31	ocs	14	26	32	29	31	9	29	26	35	227
30	NED	1672	Lucas Leerdam‑Margot van Muiswinkel / M‑22‑26 / D.S.W.Z. Broach‑D.S.W.Z. Broach	29	29	40	33	33	34	17	23	31	24	18	237
31	ITA	873	Pietro Pellegrini‑Diego Di Vito / M‑20‑18 / PerSport SSD‑PerSport SSD	nsc	dnc	dnc	9	21	dsq	25	27	26	20	29	243
32	NED	526	Samuel Deurloo‑Oscar Deurloo / M‑25‑61 / ZV Oosterplas‑ZV Oosterplas	20	26	31	34	22	22	12	33	dns	dns	dnc	243
33	NED	777	Thijs Verkade‑Daan Oldenbeuving / M‑20‑20 / D.S.W.Z. Broach‑D.S.W.Z. Broach	38	32	32	35	34	36	20	21	34	28	21	257
34	ITA	1066	Lorenzo Manfredi‑Agata Ferini / MISTO‑17‑16 / LNI Follonica‑LNI Follonica	36	30	37	25	36	38	32	18	27	33	25	262
35	SUI	1031	Gabriele Motta‑Alberto Deriu / M‑18‑19 / AMI‑A.V.N.O.	35	ocs	24	27	18	25	36	40	37	35	30	267
36	ITA	1076	Folco Baronci‑Filippo Buti / M‑17‑16 / LNI Follonica‑LNI Follonica	27	33	34	36	38	28	34	24	33	32	31	276
37	NED	1019	Ymke Brückner‑Wampie Driessen / MISTO‑25‑30 / ALSZV De Blauwe Schuit‑WSV Braassemermeer	25	28	28	29	37	31	33	32	39	39	34	277
38	FRA	1629	FLEURY Delphine‑JEGU Corentin / F‑32‑35 / ACN Plérin‑ACN Plerin	39	35	35	30	40	40	30	36	35	30	32	302
39	ITA	943	Archimede Mondora‑Pietro Campisi / M‑16‑17 / PerSportSSD‑PerSportSSD	32	36	36	40	39	35	37	35	36	36	36	319
40	CZE	727	Jan Buchta‑Michal Žák / M‑51‑25 / YCLS Brno‑YCLS Brno	30	23	33	39	35	37	39	41	dns	dns	dns	320
41	CZE	1644	Sarah Buchtova‑Eliska Kuthanova / F‑18‑21 / YCLS Brno‑YCLS Brno	37	37	26	38	41	39	38	39	38	38	37	328
42	HUN	1756	György Fazakas‑Laura Schubert / MISTO‑40‑24 / TVSK‑Hajógyár	dns	dns	dns	dns	dns	dns	dnc	dns	dns	dns	dns	387