THE FUTURE OF FOILING SET TO FLY IN BREST FOR THE 2025 iQFOiL YOUTH & JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Over 20 races scheduled across eight days, with the world’s top young windsurfers chasing the title in France
Brest, France – July 24, 2025 – The world’s fastest young windsurfers are arriving in Brittany as the 2025 iQFOiL Youth & Junior World Championships get underway in Brest. From July 24 to 31, over eight days of high-intensity foiling will crown the new world champions in both Youth and Junior divisions for men and women.
Hosted by one of France’s premier sailing venues, the event will begin with registration and equipment checks before launching into a full schedule of racing starting Friday, July 25. Competitors can expect up to 20 races, combining Course Racing, Sprint Races, and the endurance-focused Marathon format — all designed to challenge every facet of speed, strategy, and stamina on the foiling boards.
The format mirrors the Olympic pathway class structure, with a qualifying and final series leading to a dramatic Medal Series on Thursday, July 31. Only the top eight riders from the opening series will advance to the Medal Series, where a three-stage elimination (Quarter-Final, Semi-Final, Grand Final) will determine the champions. The Grand Final will follow the exciting “first to two wins” format, with the top-ranked rider carrying an advantage into the final stage.
“The iQFOiL Youth & Junior Worlds are more than just a championship, they are the foundation of Olympic windsurfing’s future,” said Gonzalo Costa Hoevel, iQFOiL Youth & Junior Class Manager. “We are excited to see young talents from around the world pushing the limits in Brest”.
With favorable wind forecasts and a proven race venue, the stage is set for a spectacular week of international competition, bringing together rising stars and national hopefuls aiming to make their mark on the global stage. Athletes with their teams have been training all season for this moment, now it’s time to race.
Key Dates
· July 24–25: Registration, Equipment Check, Opening Ceremony
· July 25–30: Opening & Final Series (up to 4–5 races per day)
iQFOiL Worlds: GOLDEN DAY FOR RAJUAN, SENOL AND LILLELUND IN BREST On Day Three of the Youth & Junior Worlds, two complete races for the U19 Men
Brest, France – July 27, 2025 – Day 3 of the 2025 iQFOiL Youth & Junior World Championships kicked off with a celebration of a historic milestone: a record-breaking 101 women are competing in this year’s edition, among a total of 375 athletes from 36 nations. A moment that perfectly captured the energy and growth of this class, and a proud achievement for the organizers.
“We have 375 athletes here from 36 countries and it's really hard to organize an event like this on the water, when the wind is not cooperating”, said Christophe Boutet, Event Organizer.“But hopefully we can have some races in the upcoming days, and for sure we’ll have a great and complete championship in the end. Racing in the Bay of Brest is always technical and tactical because of the shifty winds, and I am happy to have brought to the city of Brest such a great Championship”.
After a long wait ashore, the breeze finally settled, allowing the Race Committee to complete two Sprint Slalom races in the U19 Men’s division.
Three sailors stood out with perfect scores today. Turkey’s Artun Senol (TUR 2008) bounced back from a BFD the day before to win both races and climb back up the leaderboard. Denmark’s Malthe Lillelund (DEN 290) also delivered two bullets, showcasing composure and speed in light conditions. Meanwhile, Israel’s Peleg Rajuan (ISR 851) also secured a double win, moving into the overall lead after three days of racing.
“It was quite a physical day because of the low wind conditions and I think I managed it pretty well. I did win two races actually, and I’m looking forward to some more wind and hopefully more wins,” said Malthe Lillelund.
“Today was pretty good, I got two bullets so it couldn’t go much better. I think I climbed the rankings quite a bit after scoring a 5th and a 3rd yesterday. My speed was there and I had good starts, so I’m quite happy about today,” commented Artun Senol.
At the end of Day 3, Peleg Rajuan leads the overall U19 Men’s standings, followed by Mattia Saoncella (ITA 830) and Artun Senol in third.
Key Dates
· July 24–25: Registration, Equipment Check, Opening Ceremony
· July 25–30: Opening & Final Series (up to 4–5 races per day)
iQFOiL YOUTH & JUNIOR WORLDS: LIGHT WINDS AND TIGHT BATTLES ON DAY 4 U17 and U19 divisions complete one race each in tricky breeze – new leaders emerge across the fleets.
Brest, France – July 28, 2025 – It was another marginal wind day at the 2025 iQFOiL Youth & Junior World Championships in Brest, but the persistence of the Race Committee and the patience of the sailors paid off. By mid-afternoon, conditions stabilized just enough to allow one Sprint Slalom race for the U19 Women, U17 Boys, and U17 Girls divisions.
In the U17 Girls, the discard rule shuffled the standings, and now two athletes sit tied at the top. Naama Palatnik (ISR 890) and Parla Kabasakal (TUR 3504), both winners in their heats today, lead the fleet. Close behind is Tsz Yuet Cheung (HKG 24), who discards today’s result but remains in contention thanks to her two previous wins.
“It was a very long day, we waited a lot ashore and then on the water. We moved area a couple of times and finished only one race, which went really well for me,” said Naama Palatnik. “The start was tricky because the tide pushed me back, but I managed to pump and pass. By the first reach I was in front, and I gained even more on the downwind”.
In the U17 Boys, it’s an all-Dutch top three, with Peyton Dits (NED 241) continuing to dominate. He also won his heat in the race-in-progress. Finn Brull (NED 731) and Milo Zaal (NED 303) sit in second and third overall.
“I could win this race by just pumping, never stopping. That’s the only secret: to keep the jersey, you need to be in front. With light wind, you have to pump and watch your surroundings at all times”, said Dits after coming ashore.
In the U19 Women, Medea Falcioni (ITA 57) added another win to her scorecard and remains in the lead. Climbing to second is Yfke van der Meer (NED 252), thanks to a solid win of her own. Francesca Maria Salerno (ITA 9) rounds out the top three.
“My first race didn’t start great, I was a bit late, but I managed to catch up with my speed and took the lead by the first mark,” said van der Meer. “My setup? It’s private of course,” she added with a smile. “But I use what feels good. The 7.3 sail is super easy to trim – I love it”.
With four days down and three more to go, the action in Brest remains wide open. Stay tuned!
Key Dates
· July 24–25: Registration, Equipment Check, Opening Ceremony
· July 25–30: Opening & Final Series (up to 4–5 races per day)
DAY 5 IN BRESTOF THE 2025 iQFOiL: BREEZE DELIVERS AND BATTLES INTENSIFY Upwind Sprints shake up the rankings as fleets split for the final push tomorrow in the Final Series toward the Medal Series
Brest, France – July 29, 2025 – The fifth day of the 2025 iQFOiL Youth & Junior World Championships finally brought the conditions everyone was waiting for in the Bay of Brest. With stable breeze and flat water, all divisions hit the racecourse hard, completing multiple Upwind Sprint Races that reshuffled the leaderboards and set the stage for a dramatic final push.
In the U19 Men, three intense races allowed the fleets to split into Gold and Silver for the final day before the Medal Series. Peleg Rajuan (ISR 851) remains at the top after a perfect day, winning every one of his heats. He’s tied on points with Mattia Saoncella (ITA 830), who also won two of the three races. In third sits Kylian Manhaval (FRA 1908), continuing his charge with two bullets of his own.
The U19 Women completed two Upwind Sprints and one Slalom Sprint. Medea Falcioni (ITA 57) showed no signs of slowing down, firmly holding the lead she’s carried since the early days of the regatta. Emma Schleicher (GER 162) climbed into second place thanks to her consistent form and a race win to cap off the day, while Francesca Maria Salerno (ITA 9) remains solid in third.
Over in the U17 Boys, it was all about endurance, with four Upwind Sprint races on the schedule. The Dutch team continues to dominate, but the leaderboard saw a shakeup. Milo Zaal (NED 303) now leads the fleet, ahead of Peyton Dits (NED 241) and Merlijn Boswijk (NED 244), who climbs into third after winning three of today’s races.
“Three bullets today, so I am super happy especially because it is a World Championship,” said a thrilled Milo Zaal. “It was an amazing day, tricky, but with nice wind and lots of upwind sprints. I think consistency paid off. I made no mistakes, and if I can keep this up in the Gold Fleet tomorrow, that would be fantastic.”
In the U17 Girls, Parla Kabasakal (TUR 3504) takes the lead over Naama Palatnik (ISR 890), although the two are still tied on points, making for an exciting head-to-head finish. Closing the gap fast is Ruya Ugurlu (TUR), now in third place after a strong performance today.
“I’m really happy about my last race, it was super light and I had to pump a lot, but I made it,” said Ruya Ugurlu. “The first two races weren’t great, I had a bad start and then made an early gybe battling with my teammate, but I’m in third overall, so I’m satisfied.”
As we head into the final series tomorrow, the top 8 competitors in each fleet will be determined ahead of the Medal Series showdown on Thursday. With everything still to play for, stay tuned to see who makes the cut for the final dash to the podium!
FOUR iQFOiL YOUTH & JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONS CROWNED IN BREST Thrilling finishes, surprise comebacks, and national pride highlight the final day of the 2025 iQFOiL Youth & Junior World Championships
Brest, France – July 31st, 2025. After a week of anticipation, fierce competition and weather delays, Brest delivered on the final day of the 2025 iQFOiL Youth & Junior World Championships. Westerly winds swept across the bay, setting the stage for an unforgettable conclusion as four new World Champions were crowned with a very participated prize giving ceremony.
In the U19 Women’s fleet, Italy’s Medea Falcioni (ITA 57) rose to the occasion when it mattered most. After a rocky start In the Grand Final, Falcioni found her form in the third attempt, crossing the line first and clinching the World Championship title.
“We just finished the medal series and it was absolutely sick. We did three races in the Grand Finals. They were all incredibly tight. The people leading were constantly changing and it was awesome racing. I mean, I'm not so happy about how I raced the first two finals... But in the end, I managed to keep it all together, do one last good start and I lead from the beginning. And that was just it, just the last race and the last bullet I needed. So now I'm just so happy. All the training I've done finally paid off. There are just no words to explain it”, said Medea Falcioni (ITA 57).
Fellow Italian athlete Francesca Salerno (ITA 9) finished second overall, followed by Nurhayat Güven (TUR 1030), who impressed by advancing all the way from the quarterfinal.
The U19 Men’s category saw another epic showdown. Turkey’s Artun Senol (TUR 2008) charged through the quarter and semi-finals, grabbing a win in the first Grand Final. But it was Australia’s Rory Meehan (AUS 3) who ultimately found the consistency to secure two victories and seal the World Championship title.
“That was very hard. The guys made it super difficult for me. I got the first race in, then Artun got the second, but I just managed to get the third. I'm very happy. Super tricky conditions, and I'm just stoked. Thank you, everyone. Thank you, my club, Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. Thank you to my coach, Mitch Pearson. And most importantly, thank you to my parents”, shared Rory Meehan (AUS 3).
Artun Senol (TUR 2008) took silver, with Italy’s Mattia Saoncella (ITA 830), who got into the Grand Final as leader, rounding off the podium in third.
Perhaps the most surprising story came from the U17 Girls, where Thea Le Borgne Zibetti (FRA 218) made a sensational comeback. She was 10th overall last night, but she was given a last-minute 8th spot in the Medal Series due to technical penalties affecting other racers. She made the most of the opportunity, winning the Quarterfinal, placing second in the Semifinal, and taking the only Grand Final win before racing was called off due to dropping wind.
“I just won the championship, so it was just amazing. I’m from Lorient, not far from here, and it’s just amazing, I can’t believe it, I’m really happy,” said a glowing Thea Le Borgne (FRA 218).
The silver medal went to Naama Palatnik (ISR 890) and the bronze to Parla Kabasakal (TUR 3504).
The U17 Boys finals were a masterclass from Merlijn Boswijk (NED 244). Starting in the semifinal, he stormed through the rounds, winning both Grand Final races to leapfrog his teammates Peyton Dits (NED 241) and Finn Brull (NED 731), and claim the top spot.
“I just became U17 World Champion. Today was really tricky, we had pretty light winds… Then I sailed a really good semifinal, I won it. Then we did a first Grand Final, and I also won it. In the next and last final… I had a nice gust and I managed to take it. I'm feeling really great. It's insane, I can't believe it. But I'm feeling incredibly happy, it's crazy”, said Merlijn Boswijk (NED 244).
The Nations Trophy added an extra layer of excitement to the event. With multiple strong performances across categories, Italy took home the Nations title. Turkey followed closely in second, and France, the host nation, completed the podium in third.
