ILCA Senior, Open and Youth European Trophy 2026 in Kaštela, Croatia
by Agustín Argüelles / EurILCA 24 May 10:47 BST
15-22 May 2026
ILCA 7 European Trophy in Kaštela, Croatia © Thom Thow / EurILCA
The final day of the championship delivered everything sailing fans could hope for — unstable breeze, constant shifts in pressure, and intense battles across all fleets. Conditions changed dramatically throughout the day, with winds ranging from just 4 knots to powerful gusts exceeding 22 knots, creating one of the most challenging racing days of the week.
Despite the demanding conditions, the ILCA 6 Women fleet successfully completed all three scheduled races, while the ILCA 7 fleet managed to finish two races before the championship concluded.
Érdi Claims Second Senior European Title
In the ILCA 6 Women fleet, Hungary's Maria Erdi secured the championship title and her second Senior European crown after a remarkable final-day performance of 1-26-1. Her consistency throughout the week and ability to recover after a difficult second race proved decisive in the overall standings.
"It was a tricky day. I was very happy to win the first race and put myself in a strong position, but then unfortunately I made some mistakes on the second race and put myself on the wrong side of the course. So then I had to perform again, the points were very close again for the last race, so yeah, I just tried to sail as best as I can in the last race and climbed my way back all the way to first in the last race as well so I'm very happy.
"I don't know how many people know that I had a really big injury in Paris and, this is the moment that I've been dreaming of to get back here and um yeah, I didn't know how long it was gonna take or if I will make it back here, so I'm just super grateful for everyone who helped me to get back here and everyone's trust, my federation, my coach Fabri, my physio Nikki and my strength coach Kim, they all have a massive part in this.
"They all believed in me and were very patient with me to get back here so yeah, it's a very emotional moment for me," said Maria Erdi HUN.
Great Britain's Matilda Nicholls finished the championship with the silver medal, while Belgium's Emma Plasschaert completed the podium in bronze position.
ILCA 6 Women Europeans podium:
1. Maria Erdi HUN 54 pt
2. Matilda Nicholls GBR 80 pt
3. Emma Plasschaert BEL 81 pt
ILCA 6 Women Under-23 Europeans podium:
1. Eve McMahon IRL 88 pt
2. Roos Wind NED 107 pt
3. Ginevra Caracciolo ITA 132 pt
ILCA 6 Women Open podium:
1. Maria Erdi HUN 54 pt
2. Charlotte Rose USA 63 pt
3. Matilda Nicholls GBR 80 pt
Kontides Secures Third European Crown
The ILCA 7 Men fleet saw another impressive performance from Cyprus sailor Pavlos Kontides, who claimed his third Senior European title after scoring 5-14 in the final races of the championship.
"Yeah, this is my third European Championship. Every four years I win with one point — 18, 22 and 26. It was a great battle until the end, we had very difficult conditions today. I managed to come back in the first race. Philippe was second, I was around eighth or ninth, and I knew it would be crucial to climb back. Going into the last race it was just one point between us.
"I tried to control him before the start. Then I connected with the pressure on the right and immediately I had the advantage. After that I was just controlling where he was — it was important to stay ahead of him, and I did it. I'm very happy. This town is like home for me, I've been coming here for 20 years now and it feels like family. This is probably the last major championship of my career in Split, so it's very emotional. My wife and my son arrived today and they're waiting for me on the shore. That's a very special moment to share with them.
"This season was hard for me. I had an injury and I was not able to prepare properly, so January, February and March I was not on the boat. My body is tired, but I'm very happy," said Pavlos Kontides CYP.
Germany's Philipp Buhl earned the silver medal following a strong and consistent week of racing, while Croatia celebrated a podium finish thanks to local favourite Filip Jurišic, who secured the bronze medal in front of the home crowd in Kaštela.
ILCA 7 Senior Europeans podium:
1. Pavlos Kontides CYP 39 pt
2. Philipp Buhl GER 40 pt
3. Filip Jurisic CRO 68 pt
ILCA 7 Under-23 Europeans podium:
1. Antonio Pascali ITA 106 pt
2. Theodor Middelthon NOR 148 pt
3. Ole Schweckendiek GER 150 pt
ILCA 7 Open podium:
1. Pavlos Kontides CYP 39 pt
2. Philipp Buhl GER 40 pt
3. George Gautrey NZL 42 pt
Italian Sweep in ILCA 6 Men
The ILCA 6 Men championship was dominated by Italy, with Claudio Crocco crowned both Overall and Under-21 European Champion after an outstanding regatta performance.
Italy completed a clean sweep of the podium, with Lorenzo Ghirotti taking second place and Giovanni Bedoni securing third overall.
ILCA 6 Men Europeans podium:
1. Claudio Crocco ITA 24 pt
2. Lorenzo Ghirotti ITA 24 pt
3. Giovanni Bedoni ITA 29 pt
ILCA 6 Men Under-21 Europeans podium:
1. Claudio Crocco ITA 24 pt
2. Lorenzo Ghirotti ITA 24 pt
3. Giovanni Bedoni ITA 29 pt
A Championship to Remember
The championship in Kaštela concludes after a week of spectacular racing, challenging conditions, and unforgettable performances across all fleets. From light and tactical racing to powerful gusts and rapidly changing conditions, sailors were tested across the full range of racing scenarios before the new European champions were finally crowned.
Kaštela once again proved to be a world-class sailing venue, delivering an exciting and memorable championship, and the organisers would like to sincerely thank all sailors, coaches, race officials, volunteers, partners, supporters, and fans who contributed to the success of the event.
The 2026 ILCA Senior European Championships & Open European Trophy was organised by EurILCA and JK Marina Kaštela, with the sponsorship of Marina Kaštela and BavAdria Yacht Charter, and the support of the Ministry of Sport, Croatian Sailing Federation, the City of Kaštela, the Tourist Board of Kaštela, and the Croatian Olympic Committee.
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