ILCA Under 21 World Championships 2026 in Lanzarote

ILCA Under 21 World Championships 2026 in Lanzarote - Day 5

by Agustín Argüelles 24 Jan 06:07 GMT 19-24 January 2026

Strong west-north-westerly winds and demanding conditions shook up the penultimate day of racing at the 2026 ILCA Under-21 World Championships in Lanzarote, leaving everything wide open in ILCA 7, where Spain's Karol Krupski and Slovenia's Luka Zabukovec remain tied at the top. In ILCA 6, Italy's Ginevra Caracciolo strengthened her grip on the overall lead, while the battle for the remaining podium places intensified ahead of the decisive final day.

The 2026 ILCA Under-21 World Championships reached their fifth and penultimate day of racing this Friday at Marina Rubicón, Lanzarote, as strong winds, physical demands and a major tactical challenge shaped the day's racing. With the final day still to come, everything remains open in ILCA 7, while in ILCA 6 the lead remains firmly in the hands of Italy's Ginevra Caracciolo.

The racecourse off Marina Rubicón, in the south of the Canary Island, was greeted from early morning by steady west-north-westerly winds, averaging around 18 knots with gusts exceeding 20 knots. These conditions thoroughly tested the endurance and concentration of the fleets. The day was punctuated by several general recalls, some under the black flag, particularly in the men's gold fleet, before the two scheduled races could finally be completed.

ILCA Under 21 World Championships in Lanzarote day 5 - photo © SAILING ENERGY / Lanzarote Sailing Center

ILCA 7: tied at the top ahead of the final showdown

The first race of this fifth day brought a shake-up in the ILCA 7 standings. Slovenia's Luka Zabukovec SLO moved provisionally into the overall lead, overtaking Spain's Karol Krupski ESP, while Israel's Rem Pulci ISR climbed into third place after winning the race, once again demonstrating his consistency throughout the championship, blemished only by two poor results.

However, the second race of the day tightened the standings once more and left the overall classification completely level, with Krupski and Zabukovec tied at the top on 48 points. Pulci consolidated third place, although he remains 11 points behind the leading duo.

The Israeli sailor is enjoying a strong championship in Lanzarote and was pleased with his performance in demanding conditions: "I'm really happy to have managed to stay focused and bring my skills out on the water. I won the first race and it was a very good one. In the second I maybe made things a bit harder for myself by staying too much in the middle of the course in the first half, but I kept fighting all the way and in the end the overall balance of the day is positive."

Looking ahead to the tight title battle, which will be decided tomorrow with the final two races of this Under-21 World Championship, Pulci outlined his approach to the final day: "My idea is to focus only on my sailing, keep fighting and give my best without paying too much attention to the others. Take it race by race, aim for a good first race and then see how the day unfolds."

ILCA Under 21 World Championships in Lanzarote day 5 - photo © SAILING ENERGY / Lanzarote Sailing Center

ILCA 6: Caracciolo in commanding form as the podium battle tightens

In the women's fleet, Italy's Ginevra Caracciolo ITA continues to demonstrate clear superiority and maintains a commanding lead, extending her advantage at the top of the standings to 45 points and putting the world title firmly within reach.

Behind her, however, the fight for the remaining podium places intensified significantly. With the exception of the leader and Greece's Hermione Ghicas GRE in second, the rest of the standings saw several position changes.

In the first race of the day, Adriana Castro ESP delivered an excellent third place, allowing her to move into provisional second overall, while Irene de Tomás ESP paid dearly for a 19th-place finish and dropped out of the podium positions, slipping to fifth place in a very tight classification. Fourth place is now held by Maria Vittoria Arseni ITA.

ILCA Under 21 World Championships in Lanzarote day 5 - photo © SAILING ENERGY / Lanzarote Sailing Center

With just four points separating the sailors in second to fourth place, the tension was high ahead of the final race of the day. Caracciolo secured her fifth race win in the waters off Lanzarote and now has the Under-21 world title almost within her grasp.

A fifteenth place in the final race of the day left Spanish pre-Olympic team sailor Adriana Castro in third place overall going into the final day. Castro acknowledged a few mistakes but was pleased with her progress: "Today was quite a complicated day because there was more wind, which is a condition I find a bit harder, but overall it went quite well. In the second race I made a few mistakes that I'm not entirely happy with, but overall the balance of the day is positive."

Looking ahead to the final day, the Spaniard approaches the conclusion calmly: "My championship has been very progressive and I'm sailing with good feelings and without pressure. Tomorrow I want to enjoy the last day, have fun and give my best on the water."

ILCA Under 21 World Championships in Lanzarote day 5 - photo © SAILING ENERGY / Lanzarote Sailing Center

Decisive final day

With the standings on a knife edge and everything still to play for, the 2026 ILCA Under-21 World Championships head into their final day this Saturday in Lanzarote, with the last two races set to crown the new world champions.

Racing will start earlier tomorrow at 11:00 local time, while the prize-giving ceremony is scheduled for 18:00.