What the ILCA Senior Europeans leaves in its wake
by Agustín Argüelles, EurILCA 19 Aug 2025 07:48 BST
9-16 August 2025
The 2025 ILCA Senior European Championships & Open European Trophy in Marstrand closed after six days of challenging and varied conditions, with new European champions crowned in the ILCA 7, ILCA 6 Women, and ILCA 6 Men fleets.
Beyond the excitement on the water, this year's results also reshaped the historical medal table, adding new names and records to the ILCA Seniors' Hall of Fame.
ILCA 7 Highlights
Great Britain further extended its dominance in the ILCA 7 class, raising its total medal count to 40 medals, more than double that of its closest rival, Germany, and more than triple the Gold medals of the next nations, Sweden and Croatia.
Michael Beckett GBR secured the Gold medal, with teammate Finley Dickinson GBR taking Bronze, while Duko Bos NED captured Silver. For Dickinson and Bos, this was their first-ever ILCA Senior Europeans medal, adding fresh names to the record books.
Happy to win the Europeans again. It's good feeling. I've been known from the beginning of this year that I do this event and it'll be difficult. I didn't have much time in the venue to get prep for it, and I kind of struggled for the first few days but you know, to kind of get it right in Gold Fleet when it obviously matters most. I'm very pleased with that. I'm gonna have a little rest now.
It's the Europeans, it's a big event, it's got a lot of history. Laser Europeans like, it's always been a serious event. I haven't done it for the last few years and I thought get to come back and win it, you know, I wouldn't have been happy if I finished anywhere else. - Michael Beckett GBR.
This was Beckett's fifth career medal at the ILCA Senior Europeans (2 Gold, 3 Silver), making him the seventh sailor in history to achieve multiple Golds at the event. He now ranks fourth overall in the historical standings, behind his legendary compatriots Paul Goodison GBR (first) and Ben Ainslie GBR (third), with Tonci Stipanovic CRO holding second place overall.
Hall of Fame - ILCA 7 European Champions
ILCA 6 Women Highlights
The ILCA 6 Women's fleet also saw history made. Anna Munch DEN finally claimed her long-awaited first European medal — and it was Gold — after eight years of determination and steady progress at the highest level.
It's really tight racing in the gold fleet so yeah, it was until the end. Now I need a vacation and a beer hahaha. It’s something I've been working for the past eight years so for it to finally happen, it's completely like, I cannot describe it, it's the best feeling ever. It's really like all the hard work put together and I'm just so so happy right now. – Anna Munch DEN
Agata Barwinska POL secured Silver, earning her fourth European medal. With 2 Gold, 1 Bronze, and now Silver, she has completed the full set of European podium finishes across her career. Barwinska now stands fifth in the all-time historical medal rankings, and she is the top-ranked active sailor in the ILCA 6 Women category.
Emma Plasschaert BEL added another Bronze to her tally, bringing her total to three European medals, all Bronze.
Hall of Fame – ILCA 6 Women European Champions
ILCA 6 Men Highlights
The ILCA 6 Men’s championship was decided in tight racing, with Josip Tafra CRO and Jiri Tomes CZE both finishing on 33 points. Tafra took the title on tie-break, while Tomes claimed Silver. Lovre Bakotic CRO secured Bronze with 61 points, tied with John Frederik Wolff DEN.
A standout story came from Carlos Martinez ESP, a Master sailor who remarkably finished fifth overall, holding his own against a fleet dominated by younger athletes. His result was widely admired across the boat park.
The same three names topped the ILCA 6 Men Under 21 European Championship: Tafra crowned U21 champion, Tomes in Silver, and Bakotic in Bronze.
In the ILCA 6 Women Under 23 European Championship, Anja Von Allmen SUI claimed the inaugural Gold medal, closely followed by Roos Wind NED in Silver, and Eve McMahon IRL with Bronze.
The Open European Trophy
A big and highly skilled fleet of non-European sailors also came to Marstrand, raising the international level of the championship. Their performances were remarkable, with George Gautrey NZL finishing second overall in the ILCA 7 fleet and Mara Stransky AUS doing the same in the ILCA 6 Women fleet. Both earned Silver medals in the Open European Trophy, underlining the strength of international competition at the event.
With new champions, breakthrough performances, and historic milestones, the 2025 championship not only crowned Europe’s best ILCA sailors of today but also reshaped the historical narrative of the event. The hall of fame now features new names alongside legends of the past, ensuring Marstrand 2025 will be remembered as a pivotal edition of the European Championships.
More information at 2025-senior.eurilca-europeans.org