29er racing at the Youth World Sailing World Championship 2025 - Day 1
by 29er Class 15 Dec 13:54 PST
13-20 December 2025
2025 Youth Sailing World Championships © Joao Costa Ferreira
Exciting start and tight leaderboard in the 29er fleet at the 2025 Youth Sailing World Championships.
The 29er fleet got off to an exciting start at the 2025 Youth Sailing World Championships in Vilamoura, Portugal.
A lack of wind early in the day meant sailors spent much of the morning ashore, with waiting periods in the boat parks and on the beach. While competitors took the time to catch up, strategize, and enjoy the event atmosphere, several fleets experienced delayed racing or cancellations.
For the female 29er fleet, no races were completed due to insufficient breeze, and race officials postponed their competition until more favorable conditions are expected. Sailors are set to resume racing tomorrow, with the first women's race scheduled for 11:30.
Meanwhile, the male/mixed 29er fleet was able to get racing under way later in the day as conditions improved. Giuseppe Montesano and Enrico Coslovich (ITA) currently lead the standings by just one point after two races.
The opening race saw the Italians make a remarkable climb from 20th at the halfway mark to finish 7th, demonstrating strong tactical skills and resilience.
In the second race, they secured 2nd place behind Szymon Kolka and Bartosz Zmudzinski (POL), reigning 2025 29er EuroCup champions, who now sit third overall.
Close behind in the early leaderboard are Tizian and Julian Lembeck (GER), winners of the first race, and the Australian duo Jacob Marks and 13-year-old Sebastian Cheng, who occupy second overall.
Cheng, one of the youngest competitors at the Youth Worlds, has impressed with his maturity and consistency on the helm.
Racing continues tomorrow, with the male/mixed fleet scheduled to begin at 14:00, and the female fleet at 11:30. Fans and supporters can follow the competition via the official World Sailing channels and live tracker.
The fleet looks forward to another competitive day on the water as sailors aim to consolidate or improve their positions in Vilamoura's challenging conditions.
Full results available here.