2025 ILCA Under-21 World Championships at Dun Laoghaire, Ireland - Day 2
by Agustín Argüelles / ILCA 25 Aug 20:57 BST
22-29 August 2025
2025 ILCA Under-21 World Championships Day 2 © David Branigan / Oceansport
Dublin Bay delivered a full test of stamina and skill on day two of the 2025 ILCA Under-21 World Championships, with some clear leaders beginning to emerge.
South-east winds gusting up to 25 knots brought exhilarating downwind surfing and short, steep two-metre seas, putting fitness and hiking technique firmly to the test. Tired but upbeat sailors came ashore looking forward to recovery time before more fresh conditions in the coming days.
Four races have now been completed in the ILCA 6 Women's fleet, a single-series event of 73 boats, where Roos Wind NED holds the overall lead. The former youth world champion stamped her authority early, winning the first race of the day—her second victory of the series—before adding a second place. Behind her, Isabella Mendoza Cabezas USA and Ginevra Caracciolo Di Brienza ITA share the chasing spotlight.
"I really enjoyed today, it was fantastic—strong winds and big waves," said Caracciolo Di Brienza, now lying third overall after a tiebreak. "I managed two good races so I'm happy."
Despite Wind's early advantage, the series only reaches its midpoint on Tuesday evening, leaving plenty of opportunities for shifts in the standings.
"It was pretty breezy but the waves were quite nice," said Megan Thomson GBR. "Once you got away, we really sent it—I'm quite knackered!"
Recovery strategies after five hours afloat varied: some planned bike rides, others opted for saunas, stretching, food, or simply chilling out.
"It was really fun, super fast—we had a great time actually," said Poppy Luxton GBR. "If you got a clean lane upwind it was really good, you could just get some speed on. When you get windy days like today, surfing super fast... it's really competitive racing."
Women's Under-21 Provisional Results after Day 2: (top five)
- Roos Wind NED - 4 pts
- Isabella Mendoza Cabezas USA - 12 pts
- Ginevra Caracciolo ITA - 12 pts
- Evie Saunders AUS - 14 pts
- Maria Arseni ITA - 16 pts
In the ILCA 7 Men's championship, one more day of qualifying remains before the fleets split. With the single discard now in play, an Aussie front-runner theme is emerging. Edward Reid AUS holds a perfect scoreline of race wins so far, while compatriot Isaac Schotte AUS has also posted two bullets and a fifth.
Avoiding big scores in qualifying is critical for securing a strong Gold fleet position, and consistency in the breeze bodes well for the business end of the regatta.
"It was full hiking conditions—perfect ILCA sailing!" said Hidde Schraffordt NED after scoring a fifth and a tenth. "These aren't exactly my conditions, I prefer it lighter, but it worked out well for me today."
The wind and sea state were common talking points among the tired but smiling sailors returning ashore to Carlisle Pier, between host clubs National Yacht Club and Royal St. George YC.
"It was better than yesterday—windier stuff is more enjoyable," said Hamish Collingridge GBR, who picked up a yellow flag penalty during racing. Looking ahead, he added: "Get better starts and watch for the jury!"
Men's Under-21 Provisional Results after Day 2: (top five)
- Edward Reid AUS - 3 pts
- Isaac Schotte AUS - 7 pts
- Erik Norlen SWE - 8 pts
- Ole Schweckendiek GER - 8 pts
- Sebastian Kempe BER - 9 pts
Men's Under-19 Provisional Results after Day 2: (top five)
- Omer Vered Vilenchik ISR - 13 pts
- Bartol Jocic CRO - 19 pts
- Karol Krupski Teterycz ESP - 21 pts
- Adamantios Petrianos GRE - 24 pts
- Daniel Gimenez Mesquida ESP - 36 pts
Tuesday's forecast promises more breeze, though with an offshore direction bringing shifts and tactical challenges across all three fleets.
The 2025 ILCA Under-21 World Championship is organised by the Royal St George Yacht Club, the National Yacht Club, and ILCA, with support from Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Sport Ireland, XOcean, and Rooster Sailing.