2025 Dutch Water Week

2025 Dutch Water Week - Overall

by Simon Keijzer / Dutch Water Week 22 Sep 2025 00:49 PDT 17–21 September 2025

2025 Dutch Water Week © Sailing Energy

The Dutch Water Week concluded today with the pilot finals of the Sailing Grand Slam (SGS).

On the Weerwater, right in the heart of Almere, decisive races were sailed in the four competing Olympic classes: ILCA 6, ILCA 7, iQFOiL Men and the 49er Men. The Sailing Grand Slam links together five major international sailing, windsurfing and kite events across all ten Olympic disciplines.

In Almere, new race formats, alternative course layouts and experimental scoring systems were tested - not only to crown the 2025 winners, but also to explore how to create a final of the SGS-series in the near future and how to make the sport more attractive, understandable and exciting for spectators, media and the athletes themselves.

ILCA 7 Men

The ILCA 7 title and €1,500 went to Finn Lynch (IRL), with Lorenzo Chiavarini (ITA) second and Britain's Michael Beckett third.

2025 Dutch Water Week - photo © Sailing Energy

Beckett, the 2023 world champion, was upbeat about the initiative:

"Olympic sailing is getting reformed and recycled. What an international regatta looks like is about to undergo the biggest change in decades.

"The current proposals, the type which we just raced with at the Sailing Grand Slam Final, will make Olympic sailing wholly unrecognisable to any grassroots participant.

"In the pursuit for drama to cater for an audience with such supposedly short attention spans, there is a guarantee of creating random outcomes with the mistaken notion of selling jeopardy."

Best Dutch finisher was Duco Bos in 6th, followed by world champion Willem Wiersema in 7th.

ILCA 6 Women

Poland's Agata Barwinska claimed victory and the €1,500 prize, ahead of Ireland's Eve McMahon, with the Netherlands' Roos Wind taking bronze.

2025 Dutch Water Week - photo © Sailing Energy

"The wind was shifting everywhere, so looking outside the boat and sailing tactically was the key. The races were shorter than usual and we sailed the final with just five boats, so in a very small field. That made it fun - something different. It's good that new formats are tested. For me, this is a positive development."

Norwegian Line Flem Høst, who finished 5th, added:

"I want to help the sport move forward - we need more spectators and more excitement. So, it is great to be part of this. As feedback I would say that I believe the qualifying races should count for more in the end. Stability over a whole week is what sailing is about. If only the final matters, and the rest of the week barely counts, then it doesn't feel right."

iQFOiL Men

Israel's Yoav Omer surprised the fleet by winning the iQFOiL final and the €1,500 prize. Johan Søe (DEN) secured silver, while Joost Vink (NED) claimed bronze.

Søe reflected on both positives and challenges:

"It was interesting to try this new format. The course was good, and everyone was happy about that. The top three score is too extreme - I suggest it should be top five, so more of the fleet stays engaged and the racing remains exciting. We must keep testing and improving, so that sailing and windsurfing can be clearer and more attractive for the public and media going into Los Angeles 2028."

Dutch Olympic champion Kiran Badloe (6th) agreed on the course:

"The X-course with a top and bottom gate is fun - it keeps the fleet close and creates options. But the points system splits the fleet. You sometimes see sailors in 9th or 10th not even finishing. I'd prefer a high-point system where everyone gets points, to keep it fair and exciting. The course works, but on scoring, we have lessons to learn. I suggest the Sailing Grand Slam and us as the iQFOiL class must stick together to discuss how to move forward."

49er Men

The 49er was an all-Dutch fleet that joined just for the weekend, with Olympic champions Bart Lambriex & Floris van de Werken taking the €1,500 prize ahead of Thomas Schouten & Mart Kegel and Paul Hameeteman & Corné Janssen.

2025 Dutch Water Week - photo © Sailing Energy

Lambriex noted:

"The wind came straight off the big building, so it was very unstable. We sailed a series of short, tricky races - but that made them exciting, with everything open until the very last moment."

Van de Werken added:

"Yes, it was definitely spectacular."

Looking Ahead

The Almere pilot showed that change is possible, but also that more refinement is needed. As Michael Beckett summarized:

"This is the only way forward if we want to make sailing more accessible and stronger."

With these lessons, the organizers will continue working toward a permanent season finale for the Sailing Grand Slam. The ambition is clear: to create a format that is spectacular for spectators and media, while preserving the essence of the sport.