ILCA 6 Youth World Championship 2026 in Aarhus - Opening Ceremony

Opening ceremony - ILCA 6 Youth World Championship in Aarhus © Peter Brøgger / sejlsportsfoto.dk

The 2026 ILCA 6 Youth World Championships officially opened in Aarhus this evening with a Parade along the waterfront. 429 sailors from across the world walked together carrying their 45 national flags, following the coastline with Aarhus Bay in the background. Six days of racing awaits them, as they head into the Qualifying Series, starting tomorrow.

When the parade arrived at Aarhus International Sailing Center, they received a warm welcome from chairman of the sailing center, Hans Skou and Olympic Gold medalist and four time world champion of the ILCA class, Anne-Marie Rindom, who reminded the sailors to "sail fast and have fun".

Earlier in the day, attention turned to the water for the official Practice Race. Light winds gave both sailors and the race management team an opportunity to test the racecourses, starting procedures and course setup before the first championship races begin.

For the sailors, it was a final chance to get familiar with the racing area, while judges and race officials were able to run through the procedures that will be used throughout the championship.

With registration and equipment inspection now complete, attention turns to the opening races of the Qualifying Series. The coming days are expected to bring a mix of light and moderate winds, giving the fleet a range of conditions to deal with on Aarhus Bay.

After three days of preparations, the sailors are now ready for the part they came for: racing. We look forward to the next days of competition on Aarhus Bay as the 2026 ILCA 6 Youth World Championships get under way.

Event website: 2026ilca6youth.ilca-worlds.org