iQFOiL YOUTH & JUNIOR INTERNATIONAL GAMES TORBOLE 2025

iQFOiL YOUTH & JUNIOR SEASON GAINS MOMENTUM WITH RECORD NUMBERS IN TORBOLE, ITALY
Over 200 athletes from 23 nations gather at Lake Garda for the

Youth & Junior International Games following a high-level Coppa Italia opener

5 May 2025, Torbole (ITA) – The international iQFOiL Class is surging into the 2025 season with record participation and growing global engagement. This week, Torbole on Lake Garda becomes the stage for the iQFOiL Youth & Junior International Games, the second major event of the international calendar and the first exclusively dedicated to the U17 (Junior) and U19 (Youth) categories.

With 218 registered athletes from 23 countries across five continents, the event reflects the remarkable growth and diversity of the iQFOiL Class, the windsurfing discipline selected for the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028.

This strong start follows an action-packed weekend that saw nearly 120 competitors from 14 nations take part in the second leg of the iQFOiL Italian Cup, also held in Torbole, this past weekend. Notable performances included a performance in the U19 Men’s fleet by Valentino Blewett, who used to sail for the Circolo Surf Torbole and now sporting the Canadian flag, and a near-perfect series from Italy’s Medea Falcioni (SEF Stamura) in the U19 Women’s fleet—dropping a 1st and 2nd place to claim victory. Frantisek Burda of the Czech Republic swept the U17 Men’s fleet, while Marta Valente (WC Taranto) took top honors in the U17 Women’s division.

This week’s Games mark the first major Youth and Junior-only international iQFOiL regatta on a lake, serving also as another live test for the new racing rules and Medal Series format introduced since January 2025. Alongside the second test for the 7.3 m² rig for Youth Women and the use of carbon foils now permitted in the Junior fleet, the updated final format is designed to reward consistency and sailing skills.

Competition begins Tuesday, 6 May, with the first possible start at 13:00, followed by an official opening ceremony at 18:00. Despite an unsettled weather forecast, local knowledge suggests Lake Garda’s classic northerly breeze may offer reliable racing conditions in the earlier days of the regatta.

Racing will feature a dynamic combination of Sprint Racing, run in both downwind and upwind slalom formats with heat-based starts; Course Racing, designed to test consistency and tactical decision-making; and a long-distance Marathon, which will carry double points and push sailors’ endurance and strategic planning to the limit.

With 82 entries in the U17 Men’s fleet and 73 in the U19 Men’s, alongside 30 athletes in each of the girls’ fleets, participation has surpassed expectations – confirming the iQFOiL Youth & Junior platform as the most vibrant, competitive, and globally diverse in the sport of sailing today.

Event website:

https://2025iqyjgamestorbole.sailti.com/en/default/races/race

Entry list:

https://2025iqyjgamestorbole.sailti.com/en/default/races/race-inscriptions

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For more info:

Rachele Vitello

iQFOiL Class Communications

TORBOLE IQFOIL YOUTH & JUNIOR INTERNATIONAL GAMES – FULL ON DAY 3
Intense competition on Lake Garda: 30 course races today, 5 for each fleet

Torbole, 8 May 2025 – Racing intensified on Day 3 of the iQFOiL Youth & Junior International Games on Lake Garda, as more stable conditions finally allowed a full program of racing. After two days of unstable weather, the local “Ora” (Garda’s characteristic southerly wind) arrived on schedule just after midday, building to a steady 16 knots and holding throughout the afternoon.

The day opened with the U17 fleets – both boys and girls – who had been kept ashore on Wednesday due to light winds. They completed five back-to-back course races, followed by the U19 fleets who also completed five regular races. The FIV Race Committee, working closely with the on-water team of Circolo Surf Torbole and the iQFOiL Y&J International Class, managed 30 starts in five hours – an outstanding effort, especially considering two-heats in the boys’ fleets.

U17 Boys
A standout day for the Netherlands: Finn Brüll and Merlin Boswijk now hold the top two spots overall. Brüll won all five races in his group, while Boswijk posted three wins and two seconds in the other. Frantisek Burda (CZE), despite scoring 1-2-1-2-2 today, now sits third, tied on points with second.

U17 Girls
Rüya Ugurlu (TUR) remains unbeaten with a perfect 7 wins from 7 races. She is followed by fellow Turk Parla Kabasakal, with Omer Hen (ISR) in third.

U19 Boys
The provisional leaderboard is tied at the top between Aksel Haava (EST) and Leopold Brisedou (FRA). Italy-Canada’s Valentino Blewett is not far behind in third.

U19 Girls
Italy’s Medea Falcioni, still eligible for the U17 category, continues to dominate the U19 fleet with 8 wins from 9 races. Italy’s legacy in women’s windsurfing – Olympic Gold, Silver and Bronze medals through legends like Alessandra Sensini and Marta Maggetti – is clearly in good hands. In second is Francesca Maria Salerno, tied on points with Yfke Van Der Meer (NED), who currently sits third.

Organized by Circolo Surf Torbole, the event features 215 athletes from 23 nations, confirming its status as one of the most important international events in the youth iQFOiL Youth & Junior calendar. On Friday, the fleets will be split into Gold and Silver divisions for the men’s categories, with racing scheduled to start at 11:00, beginning with Course Racing or Sprint Slalom depending on the weather. The event will conclude on Saturday, with the new medal series format, featuring the top eight sailors in each fleet.

Full results:

https://veledepoca.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=…d1&e=a616d010dc

Event website:

https://veledepoca.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=…e8&e=a616d010dc

Entry list:

https://veledepoca.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=…b6&e=a616d010dc