At the iQFOiL Youth & Junior World Championships on the Costa Brava, it was another day of extreme conditions. Temperatures once again soared above 35 degrees Celsius, whilst the thermal breeze, blowing at between seven and ten knots, provided stable conditions for the first races. However, as the day progressed and temperatures rose, the breeze became increasingly unstable. The U17 Boys were due to start later in the afternoon, but by that point the breeze had proved too inconsistent. Not a single race could be completed for the entire fleet, so the standings remained unchanged.
Saoncella dominates the U19 men’s competition
The U19 Men’s Gold Fleet completed the most extensive programme of the day with five upwind sprint races. Mattia Saoncella from Italy once again demonstrated exceptional consistency and extended his lead at the top of the standings. The Italian remains the only competitor in the entire championship with a virtually flawless record. Leon Jankowski from Poland had another strong day and climbed to second place overall. Itamar Levi from Israel moved up to third place, keeping the battle for the podium wide open. With the Medal Series about to begin, the top ten are now taking shape.
The U19 women completed three races in changeable conditions. Following an upwind sprint, the format switched to sprint slalom for the remaining two heats. The varying demands led to shifts in the rankings. Taisiia Stopchenko retained the overall lead thanks to another consistent performance. Salomé Simon from France remains firmly in the title race in second place. Sophie Clark from Great Britain delivered one of the strongest performances of the day and claimed the provisional podium spot in third place.
Kabasakal remains unbeaten
The U17 girls completed two races, starting with an upwind sprint before switching to sprint slalom in the afternoon. Parla Kabasakal from Turkey continued her dominance and remains the only athlete in her category with a flawless record. The Turkish athlete comfortably wears the yellow leader’s jersey. Michelle Urzykowski from Poland successfully defended her second place overall. Noa Koren from Israel had a solid day and moved up to third place, securing her first ever podium finish.
As no races could be counted for the U17 Boys, the rankings from the previous day remained unchanged. Luca Pacchiotti from Italy continues to lead the standings. The Czech athlete Frantisek Burda holds second place, whilst Moritz Schleicher from Germany is in third place.
All the information and results can be found at 2026iqyjworldscostabrava.sailti.com
