Cadet class World Championship 2026 at Circolo Vela Torbole - Practice Race
by Dominic Stanislaus & Helen Krailing 5 Aug 09:15 PDT
2-7 August 2026
Practice race - Cadet class World Championship at Garda © Helen Lowe
Practice Race Frustrated by Garda's Elusive Thermal Breeze
The 2026 International Cadet Class World Championship at Lake Garda began on Saturday 1st August with the scheduled practice race, offering competitors their first opportunity to experience the championship race area and the scale of the 120-plus boat fleet gathered for the event.
The day opened with the first competitors' briefing at 10:30am, where the local race officer and championship officials introduced the key procedures and priorities for the week ahead. In keeping with the efficient style of the Garda organisers, the briefing was kept concise and focused, ensuring sailors and support teams could turn their attention quickly to preparations for racing.
Following the official briefing, the British Cadet squad assembled with their coaches for a final pre-race meeting, reviewing expectations for the day and making last-minute tactical and logistical preparations.
Attention then turned to the weather, as Lake Garda's familiar summer pattern once again became the dominant talking point. Sailors had become accustomed to the 'Peler' blowing strongly through the morning before fading around lunchtime, with the much-anticipated 'Ora' thermal breeze expected to establish itself during the early afternoon. With a scheduled first start of 2:00pm, the fleet launched in a light breeze of around five knots and made a slow passage to the racecourse in the middle of the lake.
Once afloat, however, the expected thermal wind failed to arrive. The breeze gradually faded away, leaving the fleet drifting in increasingly hot conditions under a postponement ashore-turned-afloat situation. Rather than frustration taking over, many crews treated the delay as an opportunity to cool off, slipping into the water beside their boats while waiting for signs of pressure to appear across the lake.
As the postponement approached the one-hour limit, it became clear that the Ora was not going to fill in within the available racing window. Race officials eventually abandoned the practice race for the day, bringing an end to hopes of a competitive warm-up before the championship proper.
In a typically Gardasee twist, the story did not end there. Almost as soon as the abandonment signal was displayed, a fresh northerly breeze swept down the lake, building rapidly to 10-15 knots and providing the entire fleet with an enjoyable and energetic sail back to shore.
Although no official practice race was completed, the day was far from wasted. For the organisers and shore crews, it served as a valuable operational rehearsal, successfully coordinating the launch and recovery of one of the largest Cadet fleets seen at the venue in recent years.
For the sailors, it was an important shakedown: a first chance to tune equipment, settle nerves, and experience the spectacle of sailing as part of a huge international fleet in the remarkable surroundings of Lake Garda, a venue that promises both tactical complexity and unforgettable racing conditions as the championship gets under way.
Opening Ceremony
The championship's opening ceremony brought a welcome burst of colour and energy to Torbole after the abandoned practice race earlier in the day. Competitors gathered at Piazza Santa Maria al Lago before marching along the lakeside promenade to Circolo Vela Torbole behind the local band.
Teams from Australia, the Netherlands, Belgium, India, the Czech Republic, Russia, Poland, Germany, Great Britain, and Ukraine proudly carried their national flags, creating a vibrant international procession against the spectacular backdrop of Lake Garda and the surrounding mountains.
The younger sailors embraced the occasion in true Cadet spirit, waving flags, singing songs, exchanging chants with other teams, and enjoying the opportunity to celebrate with friends from across the world. The parade was filled with smiles and laughter throughout, setting an upbeat and friendly tone for the championship week ahead.
With the formal welcome complete, attention now turns from ceremonies to competition as the fleet prepares for the opening races of the 2026 International Cadet Class World Championship.
At each World Championships after the formalities of measurement are complete, the International Committee held the AGM. Changes to the constitution to support future updates to class rules pass unanimously and excitement builds around future venue proposals. We then come to selection of committee and this year the Chairmanship returns to the UK having been ably run by Emma Hooper of Australia since 2022.
Alan Krailing who has been on the technical sub-committee for the past 2 years, has stepped up to the role and is excited by the opportunity. Having organised the 2024 World Championships in Plymouth, and as an ex cadet himself, he looks forward to promoting cadet sailing throughout the world for the future generations. He is well supported by Edd McArdle who remains as Treasurer for the association. They are delighted to welcome Richard Thorpe as the 3rd GBR representative onto the committee.