Issue date
By World Sailing
World Sailing has selected the Portuguese venue of Vilamoura to host the 2025 youth sailing world championships, which will take place from December 12 to 20.
For more than half a century, the youth world championships have been the pinnacle of youth sailing performance. They provide the global stage for future sailing stars to shine and have become a major stepping stone for many world and Olympic champions.
New Zealand has a proud history of success at the event, having won a total of 55 medals including 17 gold, 20 silver and 18 bronze dating back to the first event in Sweden in 1971. The 2018 team won a record-equalling four medals in Corpus Christi.
Past notable winners include America's Cup skippers, Olympic medallists and Volvo Ocean Race sailors including Alex Maloney, Blair Tuke, Chris Dickson, Russell Coutts, Dean Barker and Stuart Bannatyne.
Earlier this year, a 13-strong team represented the NZL Sailing Foundation youth team competed at Lake Garda in Italy, with Zach Stibbe's fifth place in the boys' ILCA 6 the best result.
The youth worlds attracts the best youth sailors from around the world and follows a similar format to Olympic sailing where all sailors compete on a level playing field across all events. In total, 11 events will be sailed in male, female and mixed categories, with the events open to sailors aged above the age of 12 years and under the age of 19 years on December 31, 2025.
“The youth sailing world championships have long been one of the most important events in the World Sailing calendar and an important showcase for emerging talent and future legends of the sport. We are delighted to award the 54th edition of the championships to such an impressive host venue and ambitious organising committee which will further World Sailing’s commitment to inclusion, equality and sustainability and lead to a truly memorable championship," said World Sailing president Quanhai Li.
David Graham, World Sailing chief executive, added: “The youth sailing world championship represents the future of our sport, and to be able to witness such high levels of performance year after year is a privilege. We have seen the event grow from 16 nations at the very first edition in 1971 to what it has become today where this year over 400 sailors from 70 countries took part, and we look forward to another incredible championship in Portugal in 2025.”
The organising committee will be comprised of Vilamoura Sailing, with the support of Marina de Vilamoura, the City of Loulé, and the Portuguese Sailing Federation.
In preparation for the championships, a series of key events will take place, specifically designed for the participating classes. These events will serve as an excellent opportunity for sailors to train and fine-tune their skills ahead of the championship. The youth Portugal Grand Prix will be held in several rounds, starting later this month:
- 1st youth Portugal Grand Prix, Round 1: December 18-20, 2024
- 1st youth Portugal Grand Prix, Round 2: April 5-7, 2025
- 2nd youth Portugal Grand Prix, Round 1: December 2-5, 2025
These regattas are set to bring together top youth sailors, offering a competitive environment and valuable experience leading up to the main event.
Sustainability initiatives at the 2025 youth sailing world championships will include a strong commitment to reducing environmental impact. The facilities at Vilamoura Sailing are fully powered by solar energy and the event will focus on eliminating single-use plastics by providing access to water stations and reusable containers. Additionally, there will be an emphasis on digital communication to reduce paper waste, alongside encouraging eco-friendly transportation options including electric robotic marks and organisational boats. Materials produced for the event will be designed for reuse at future events, and recyclable materials will be prioritised throughout the championship.
A Notice of Race will be published in January 2025.
