iQFOiL U23 World Championships 2026 in Puck, Poland - Overall
by iQFOiL Class Association 3 Oct 18:18 BST
26 September - 3 October 2026
Super-light Slalom delivers a dramatic Medal Series as Tomasini overturns Pilloni's lead and Bright completes a dominant week on the Bay of Puck
Aimee Bright (NZL) and Leonardo Tomasini (ITA) are the 2026 iQFOiL U23 World Champions after a dramatic final day on the Bay of Puck, where super-light winds turned the Medal Series into a demanding test of speed, timing and nerves.
After five days featuring everything from strong-wind Course Racing to Slalom, the championship concluded in extremely light conditions. Slalom was the format for the day, but the marginal and unstable breeze made racing anything but straightforward, with numerous attempts and re-runs required before the Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Grand Finals could be completed.
In the Women's Medal Series, one of the stories of the day was Sophia Meyer (GER). Meyer had only secured the final Medal Series spot on Friday, entering the day in tenth place, but made the most of the knockout format to charge all the way through the fleet and eventually finish the World Championship in an impressivefourth place. Her rise capped a remarkable turnaround after she had been outside the top ten only two days earlier.
At the front, the title fight came down to the two sailors who had earned direct passage to the Grand Final after qualification: Aimee Bright (NZL) and Maya Gysler (NOR). Bright had led the championship throughout the week, while Gysler had mounted an increasingly strong challenge over the closing days.
The Grand Final remained open until the very end. Gysler came agonisingly close to taking the title, but after underlaying the second mark she was forced into extra gybes, costing crucial distance in the super-light conditions. Bright seized her opportunity to complete an outstanding week in Puck and become the 2026 iQFOiL U23 Women's World Champion, with Gysler taking silver.
The Men's Medal Series brought a late twist to a championship that had been dominated for much of the week by Federico Alan Pilloni (ITA). Pilloni had completed the Qualification Series in first place, with compatriot Leonardo Tomasini (ITA) second, giving both Italians direct passage to the Grand Final.
But on the day that mattered most, Tomasini turned the tables. The Italian delivered in the decisive Slalom racing to snatch the World Championship title from his teammate, completing a strong week in which the pair had occupied the leading positions from the opening stages of the event.
Pilloni finishes the championship with the silver medal after an exceptional Qualification Series, while Stanislaw Trepczynski (POL) gave the home crowd a result to celebrate by securing bronze on home waters. The Polish sailor had already produced one of the performances of the week on Friday, winning three races to secure his place in the Semi Final, and completed the championship delighted to stand on the World Championship podium in Puck.
Final podiums
Women
- Aimee Bright (NZL)
- Maya Gysler (NOR)
- Stella Bilger (AUS)
Men
- Leonardo Tomasini (ITA)
- Federico Alan Pilloni (ITA)
- Stanislaw Trepczynski (POL)
The Medal Series brought to a close six days of racing on the Bay of Puck, where 148 sailors from 34 nations competed for the 2026 U23 world titles across a wide range of conditions and racing formats.
From the strong breeze of the opening day to the super-light Slalom that ultimately decided the medals, Puck provided a complete test for the next generation of international iQFOiL talent - and at the end of it all, Aimee Bright and Leonardo Tomasini leave Poland as the 2026 iQFOiL U23 World Champions.