The 2026 iQFOiL U23 World Championships came to a close on 3 October in Puck, with thrilling finishes in the most challenging conditions. Leonardo Tomasini from Italy clinched the world title at the crucial moment, whilst Aimee Bright from New Zealand capped off her dominance throughout the week. 148 athletes from 34 nations battled it out for six days on the Bay of Gdańsk for the coveted titles. The Medal Series took place in extremely light winds, making the slalom races a demanding test of speed, timing and nerves. After five days of highly varied conditions – ranging from strong winds in the course racing to technical slalom runs – the marginal and unstable wind conditions on the final day presented the athletes with particular challenges. Numerous start attempts and repeats were necessary before the quarter-finals, semi-finals and Grand Finals could be held.
Sophia Meyer causes an upset in the women’s final
Sophia Meyer delivered one of the most remarkable performances of the day. The Kiel native had only secured the final spot in the Medal Series on Friday and went into the final day in tenth place. In the knockout format, she fought her way through the entire field and finished the World Championships in fourth place. At the top of the field, a duel developed between the two athletes who had qualified directly for the Grand Final. Aimee Bright had led the championship all week, whilst Maya Gysler from Norway had been applying increasing pressure over the last few days.
The Grand Final remained in the balance right up to the end. Gysler came dangerously close to the title, but after a mistake at the second mark she was forced to make an extra gybe. In the extremely light wind conditions, this detour cost her crucial metres. Bright seized the opportunity and secured the world title after an outstanding week in Puck. The New Zealander delivered consistent performances across all disciplines and proved her class even under pressure. Gysler had to settle for silver, whilst Stella Bilger from Australia won bronze. The second German competitor Emma Schleicher came 25th.
An all-Italian clash in the men’s competition
Federico Alan Pilloni dominated the Qualification Series, finishing in first place. His compatriot Leonardo Tomasini followed in second place, meaning both Italians progressed directly to the Grand Final. The pair had occupied the top spots since the early days of the event and were considered clear favourites. But on the decisive day, the tide turned. Tomasini delivered his best performance in slalom racing just when it mattered most. The Italian clinched the world title ahead of his team-mate, capping off a strong week in which the Italian duo had consistently led the field.
Pilloni finished the championship with the silver medal following an exceptional qualification series. Stanisław Trepczyński delighted the home fans and secured bronze on home waters. The Polish athlete had already delivered one of the best performances of the week on Friday, when he won three races to secure his place in the semi-finals. Standing on the World Championship podium in Puck was the crowning glory of a successful week for Trepczyński in front of his home crowd. The conditions in the Bay of Gdańsk presented the athletes with a whole range of challenges – from strong winds on the opening day to barely a breath of wind during the Medal Series slalom. The top German was Lenny Friemel in 35th place; Finley Evans came 54th, Paul Regber 76th, and Noah Schmäh took 83rd place, just ahead of Siddharta Hummler in 88th. Max Winkler finished in 94th place, Jakob Ditzen came 98th and Nils Präger finished the World Championships in 107th place.
All the information and results can be found at 2026iqworldsu23.poland.sailti.com