OpenSkiff World Championship 2026 in Calasetta, Italy - Overall
by Elena Giolai 1 Aug 11:21 PDT
25-31 July 2026
Italy finishes with five medals: U17 gold for Aurora Milanese, silver for Fabio Serra and bronze for Gianluca Pilia, together with U13 silver for Anna Ruggiero and bronze for Gianmaria Iannuzzi.
Ukraine's Sviatoslav Yasnolobov and Italy's Aurora Milanese are the new OpenSkiff Under 17 World Champions, while Hungary's Barnabas Karolyi Tertak and Poland's Roza Kowalik secured the Under 13 titles.
Italy completed the 2026 OpenSkiff World Championships in Calasetta with five medals. Alongside Milanese's gold, Fabio Serra claimed silver and Gianluca Pilia bronze in the U17 male division. In the younger fleet, Anna Ruggiero won silver among the U13 girls, while Gianmaria Iannuzzi took bronze in the boys' category.
After four days in which the wind had allowed three races to be completed quickly each day, the final session required patience and adaptability. The breeze proved unstable in both direction and intensity, making the Race Committee's task more demanding and testing the concentration of the sailors involved in the decisive battles for the podium.
The first race of the U17 Gold Fleet was abandoned following a significant drop in wind strength and restarted when more consistent conditions returned. Before the second and final race, the entire course was moved in search of an area with greater pressure.
Careful management of the day made it possible to complete two further races, bringing the championship total to fourteen, with two discards. The medal contenders remained focused despite the waiting periods, intense heat and uncertainty surrounding both the conditions and their rivals' results.
Under 17, Yasnolobov dominates, Milanese crowned world champion
Sviatoslav Yasnolobov secured the U17 male world title after leading the championship from the opening races. The Ukrainian sailor won twelve of the fourteen races, giving his opponents very few opportunities to close the gap.
Having arrived in Italy following the outbreak of the conflict in his country, Yasnolobov developed as an OpenSkiff sailor in Italy and confirmed his place among the leading international competitors in the class.
Behind him, Italy and Sardinia celebrated a double podium finish in the male division. Italy's Fabio Serra, a local sailor representing the host club Lega Navale Italiana Sezione Sulcis, claimed silver, while fellow Sardinian Gianluca Pilia secured the bronze medal for Italy.
For Serra, the result carries particular significance, as it was achieved on his home waters and in front of the club organising the championship. Pilia completed an excellent week for Sardinian sailing with a consistent performance that kept him among the leading competitors throughout the event.
The U17 female world title went to Italy's Aurora Milanese. Already an U13 World Champion in Rimini three years ago, Milanese also finished second overall, showing excellent speed and consistency throughout the championship.
France's Clara Zunquin won the female silver medal and placed fourth overall, while Poland's Paulina Szczepa completed the podium with bronze and finished seventh in the overall standings.
The U17 overall top ten reflected the international standard of the event, with four Italian sailors, two French competitors, two Polish sailors, one Ukrainian and one representative from the United States. Three girls finished inside the top seven overall.
Under 13, World titles for Karolyi Tertak and Kowalik
Hungary's Barnabas Karolyi Tertak secured the U13 male world title. Having developed as a sailor in Italy, Karolyi Tertak took control of the standings during the opening days and successfully defended his lead through the final races.
The silver medal went to fellow Hungarian Zsigmond Endre Tosoky, while Italy's Gianmaria Iannuzzi claimed bronze. The Italian produced an impressive progression during the championship, recording one race victory and four consecutive top-three finishes in the closing stages.
Poland's Roza Kowalik became the U13 female World Champion and also finished ninth overall. Italy's Anna Ruggiero took silver and placed eleventh overall, while Japan's Haru Kuwata secured the bronze medal.
The U13 top ten featured a particularly international mix, with three Hungarian sailors, two Italians, two Polish competitors, one French sailor, one Australian and one representative from India. Kowalik was the only girl to enter the overall top ten, with Ruggiero immediately behind in eleventh.
A week of racing and international exchange among thirteen nations
The smiles and enthusiasm that had accompanied the opening parade and ceremony returned during the final social dinner and the prize-giving ceremony held on Friday, 31 July.
Sailors and teams shared further moments together, exchanging lycras, T-shirts and souvenirs from their respective countries. The Japanese delegation was particularly involved and among the most active in the exchanges with the other teams.
Several international teams praised the organisation and the work carried out both ashore and on the water by Lega Navale Italiana Sezione Sulcis. From launching the boats in the harbour and setting the racecourse to managing registration, scoring and logistics, the host club coordinated every aspect of the championship and supported sailors, coaches, the Race Committee and the International Jury.
The fourteen races completed, with wind present on every day of the programme, confirmed the qualities of Calasetta and the San Pietro Channel as a venue for international youth sailing events.
The 2026 OpenSkiff World Championships brought together 166 sailors representing 13 nations. The event was organised by Lega Navale Italiana Sezione Sulcis under the authority of the Italian Sailing Federation, in cooperation with the Italian OpenSkiff Class and the International Open Skiff Class Association. The championship was held with the support of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia and the Municipality of Calasetta. Further support was provided by Marina di Calasetta, Pro Loco di Calasetta, Market Lungomare, Tabaccheria Granara, Panificio Aste, Gelateria Il Pinguino, Medianet and Edilcasa di Marco Casula.