Whitehead ready to build on strong preparation at 2026 Formula Kite European Championships
by Lisa Darmanin / Australian Sailing Team 6 Sep 13:01 PDT
7-12 September 2026
Breiana Whitehead during the 2026 Formula Kite World Championships at Viana do Castelo © IKA Media / Robert Hajduk
Türkiye will play host to the 2026 Formula Kite European Championships from 7-12 September, with Australia's Breiana Whitehead heading into the event prepared to make her mark on the European fleet.
The Paris 2024 Olympian arrives in Akyaka off the back of a seventh-place finish at the Sailing Grand Slam in Long Beach and an 11th-place result at the Formula Kite World Championships, narrowly missing out on the top 10 early this year.
Now, following a strong training block in Weymouth, United Kingdom, alongside a talented international squad, Whitehead is ready to get back on the start line, "I'm really looking forward to racing here in Akyaka, Türkiye," she shared. "It's proving to be a really nice venue with good conditions, warm and sunny! I think we're going to be in for a big week of fast racing."
For Whitehead, the European Championships represent another opportunity to build on the lessons from the World Championships and continue developing her campaign in the 2028 Olympic cycle.
Australian Sailing Team Technical Director Michael Blackburn believes the time spent training in Weymouth has given Whitehead an important opportunity to sharpen her racing and raise the intensity of her preparation.
"Brei has been training with a lot more purpose since the Worlds, spending more time in Weymouth alongside competitive training partners and putting herself in a strong position to excel at the Europeans," said Blackburn.
The forecast is pointing towards a combination of strong thermal winds and soaring temperatures. Blackburn explains, "In the lead-up, coach Tom Squires reports they've been seeing a thermal breeze arrive with a punch around 11am at 10-12 knots, building to 14-16 knots.
"Temperatures are forecast to reach 38 degrees on day one and remain in the mid-30s for the rest of the week - conditions Brei should feel right at home in, having grown up in Townsville."
The conditions are expected to deliver the fast, physical racing that Formula Kite is renowned for, and for Whitehead the focus now shifts from preparation to execution.
Follow the event at kiteclasses.org/2026europeans