2025 IKA Youth World Championships at Praia da Vitoria, Azores, Portugal - Day 3
by International Kiteboarding Association 30 Oct 12:26 PDT
26 October - 1 November 2025
2025 IKA Youth World Championships day 3 © IKA Media / Robert Hajduk
Gusts, glory and the comeback kid
Day 3 of the Formula Kite Youth Worlds in the Azores delivered a punishing mix of gusty winds, gear disasters and gutsy performances with France's Nell De Jahamm among those impressing in the demanding conditions.
The 18-year-old Frenchman ended the day inside the top ten overall, a remarkable achievement given that only three months ago he was lying unconscious in hospital after a serious training accident.
"I woke up and didn't really know what had happened," De Jaham recalls. "I'm happy with how things are going here. I think I'm back to the same level as before the accident so I'm pretty happy."
With just one competition behind him since the crash, De Jaham targeted these Youth Worlds as his comeback event and it appears he's doing exactly that. "I'm hungry to do more, like maybe top four or six. I definitely want more," he added with a grin after another consistent day on the water.
Decisions, decisions
The strong, shifting breeze made life tough for everyone and even tougher for their kites. Riders faced a constant guessing game over which size to ride with medium kites proving the best compromise as gusts ripped across the racecourse.
Swiss rider Gian Stragiotti summed up the day's challenge after a brutal encounter with the wind, "I broke my kite when a gust came and pushed it towards me, then when it powered up again it exploded. It's crazy out there, super gusty and shifty. It was a weird day. The 15-metre kite was a good size even with the gusts."
Turkey's Poyraz Aksakal endured an even rougher run of luck, suffering a snapped harness in the first race and a broken bridle in the third. "First race was going well then my harness snapped. I came back to shore and missed the second race. I got a friend's harness, went back out, then as soon as race three started the bridle broke," he laughed. "But I'm still smiling - you've got to think good to be good!".
Top two duel
At the sharp end of the men's leaderboard, the battle between Riccardo Pianosi and Max Maeder continues to define the championship. The Italian holds a slender one-point lead, but the pair have now opened a clear gap over third-placed Vojtech Koska, who trails by nine points.
With the wind forecast to remain tricky, the margin for error will only shrink as the event heads into its final stages.
Turienzo moves top
The women's division also completed four races on Day 3, with Catalina Turienzo seizing control of the leaderboard after a dominant display.
"I went out with a 15 and then realised quickly it was too big," Turienzo admitted. "So I came back and switched to an 11 and that was the right one for me and I stuck with it all day."
The Argentinian won three of the four races, edging past Turkey's Derin Atakan, who struggled with kite selection and a costly on-water incident.
Despite the setbacks, Atakan remains just one point behind Turienzo, ensuring the title fight is far from settled. Fellow Turk Derin Deniz Sorguc continues to impress with consistent sailing, holding third overall and boasting a healthy cushion over Israel's Gal Boker in fourth.
With more breeze forecast and the pressure rising, Day 4 promises even fiercer competition and perhaps more drama on the launch beach.
Racing is expected to resume at noon with 6 races planned.
Find out more at www.kiteclasses.org/2025youthworlds