ILCA 6 Youth World Championship 2025 in Los Angeles
by Agustín Argüelles 5 Aug 2025 12:00 PDT
19-26 July 2025
ILCA 6 Youth World Championship in Los Angeles © Simone Staff / Seaster Media
The final day of the 2025 ILCA 6 Youth World Championships delivered a full spectrum of sailing conditions — from nearly glassy waters to full hiking breeze — giving sailors one last challenge before the titles were claimed.
Competitors arrived early to Cabrillo Beach as the race committee made an ambitious push to avoid any land-based postponements. The day kicked off with a coaches' meeting at 10:30, confirming the plan for two races, with priority given to the gold fleets. By 11:30, the Delta and tow flags were raised, and the fleets launched quickly into a light and shifty morning.
Sailors faced the lightest breeze of the week — 4-6 knots and 0.3-meter waves — when the men's gold fleet began their opening race. However, the breeze proved too unstable, forcing the race to be abandoned. The AP flag went up as the committee waited for a more consistent sea breeze to fill in.
After patient waiting and careful mark adjustments, conditions improved. A steadier 6-8 knot breeze and 0.3-0.6 meter waves allowed the men's gold fleet to successfully restart their first race. As the afternoon progressed, the breeze built to a lively 10-12 knots with 0.6-0.9 meter waves — a final test for the top youth sailors in the world.
The women's gold fleet followed the men, with both silver fleets also completing their first races of the day. With competition tight across the board, many sailors made significant gains on the leaderboard in the final moments of the regatta.
Both gold fleets completed a second race, bringing the event total to 12 races — a full series to crown the most consistent and skilled sailors. Fittingly, both gold fleet leaders heading into the final day held their ground and finished as world champions.
In the silver fleets, the women completed their final race to also finish with 12 races. The men's silver fleet attempted a second race but was recalled and sent ashore, concluding with 11 races total.
As the sun set over Cabrillo Beach, sailors from across the globe celebrated an incredible week of racing, camaraderie, and international competition. The podiums reflected the diversity and depth of talent in the fleet, with a wide range of countries represented.
A heartfelt thank you goes to Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club, the race committee, staff, and dedicated volunteers for their outstanding hospitality and seamless execution throughout the event.
Congratulations to our new ILCA 6 Youth World Champions and all competitors!
Girls Championships Results
Hermione Ghicas GRE, the reigning 2025 ILCA 6 Youth European Champion, has done it again — affirming her dominance by claiming the 2025 ILCA 6 Youth World Championship title. The young Greek sailor delivered a stellar performance throughout the week in Los Angeles, winning three of the 12 races, placing second in four more, and discarding only a 13.6-point finish as her worst result. She concluded the championship with an impressive 32 points.
Second place went to Ukraine's Alina Shapovalova UKR, the 2024 ILCA 6 Youth European Champion, who also delivered a spectacular performance, finishing just 16 points behind the winner.
Feline Van Ede NED, the 2024 ILCA 4 Youth World Vice-Champion in 2024, secured third place after an impressive showing — including leading the fleet from day two through day four.
Final Top 10 - Girls Overall:
1. Hermione Ghicas GRE - 32 pt
2. Alina Shapovalova UKR - 48 pt
3. Feline Van Ede NED - 52 pt
4. Valentina Araujo BRA - 76.6 pt
5. Rebecca Mantel ISR - 82 pt
6. Sienna Wright IRL - 82 pt
7. Hanna Rogowska POL 89 pt
8. Gaya Datiashvili ISR - 96 pt
9. Marion Grace Montgomery THA - 103 pt
10. Ainhoa Gomez Barnuevo ESP - 105 pt
Chloe Turner NZL is the 2025 ILCA 6 Youth Girls Under 17 World Champion, capping off a consistent and composed performance throughout the week. The young Kiwi sailor held firm under pressure, maintaining her lead from the finals and finishing 13th overall in the fleet — an impressive achievement in such a competitive field.
Camille Vallotton SUI secured second place in the U17 division, finishing 16th overall. The Swiss sailor remained a steady contender all week and delivered the consistency needed to lock in a podium finish.
Lena Adamska POL completed the U17 podium in third, placing 25th overall. The Polish sailor demonstrated resilience across the event, fending off pressure from a tight group of competitors in the final races.
Final Top 5 - Girls Under 17:
1. Chloe Turner NZL - 133 pt
2. Camille Vallotton SUI - 147 pt
3. Lena Adamska POL - 197 pt
4. Marina Wardlaw USA - 233 pt
5. Mafalda Teixeira POR - 233 pt
Boys Championships Results
Alessandro Cirinei ITA is the 2025 ILCA 6 Youth Boys World Champion, adding to an already stellar year after winning the 2025 ILCA 6 Men's World Championship in Kiel. Cirinei's victory was built on a dominant qualifying series, where he posted impressive finishes of 14, 1, 4, 1, 1, and 3, giving him a strong points buffer heading into the finals. In the final series, despite facing tougher conditions and more pressure, Alessandro's results were mixed — including finishes of 9, 13, 29, 2, 32, and 15. His consistency early in the event allowed him to absorb these challenges and ultimately secure the title with 92 points overall.
Josip Tafra CRO finished second with 113 points, but a difficult final day — with scores of 22 and 44, the latter his discard — prevented him from closing the gap on Cirinei's lead.
Joaquin Galvan ARG secured third place with 127 points, rounding out the podium after a solid and steady performance throughout the regatta.
Final Top 10 - Boys Overall:
1. Alessandro Cirinei ITA - 92 pt
2. Josip Tafra CRO - 113 pt
3. Joaquin Galvan ARG - 127 pt
4. Nicolo Cassitta ITA - 139 pt
5. Alexandros Kyfidis GRE - 139 pt
6. Alexander Hartsink NED - 140 pt
7. Erotokritos Komianos GRE - 145.3 pt
8. Jiri Tomes CZE - 148 pt
9. Benedek Héder HUN - 152 pt
10. Tim Lubat ESP - 155 pt
Alexander Hartsink NED is the 2025 ILCA 6 Youth Boys Under 17 World Champion, closing out the regatta with a dominant and composed performance. Hartsink maintained his lead from the final series and finished not only as the top U17 sailor but also an outstanding 6th overall in the combined fleet — a remarkable achievement for the young Dutch talent. His consistency, smart decision-making, and ability to stay near the front of the fleet in a range of conditions made him a clear standout.
Erotokritos Komianos GRE claimed the Silver medal, securing 7th place overall and demonstrating maturity well beyond his years. The Greek sailor steadily built his position through the championship and held off challenges with solid final races.
Jiri Tomes CZE completed the U17 podium with Bronze, finishing 8th overall in the full fleet — a fantastic result that caps off a week of persistence and progression. Tomes closed the points gap in the final stages, confirming his place among the best young sailors in the world.
All three U17 podium finishers not only dominated their age division but also competed fiercely with the older sailors, finishing in the top 10 overall — a testament to their exceptional talent and bright futures in international sailing.
Final Top 5 - Boys Under 17:
1 Alexander Hartsink NED - 140 pt
2 Erotokritos Komianos GRE - 145.3 pt
3 Jiri Tomes CZE 136 pt - 148 pt
4 Claudio Crocco ITA - 175.3 pt
5 Stefano Siebert Francavilla BRA - 251 pt
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