The 52nd edition of the Youth Sailing World Championship opened yesterday in Búzios (RJ), with more than 400 athletes aged 19 from 62 nations. The regattas were held in rain and winds of weak to moderate intensity on the coast of Rio de Janeiro, which hosted the event for the second time in its history.
After much waiting on land, the new generation of sailors showed they had no time to lose. The first races started at 11 am, and the last ones ended at 5 pm. With a schedule of more than 140 races until next Friday, 15-Dec, World Sailing and CBVela took advantage of the ideal conditions of the Manguinhos, Feia, and Branca courses to open the championship.
The Brazilian Sailing Team defends a history of success in the competition, which has produced Olympic, Pan-American, and world champions such as Robert Scheidt, Martine Grael, Kahena Kunze, and Ricardo Winicki. The local team consists of 13 athletes participating in the races organized at the Búzios Yacht Club and Búzios Sailing Club.
A highlight is the female 420 duo formed by Joana Gonçalves and Gabriela Vassel. The Brazilians won both races of the day and lead the championship in the class that crowned Martine and Kahena in the 2009 edition.
The two recovered in the races after slower starts, trailing behind the fleet. But already in the first downwind leg, choosing the right side, Joana and Gabriela controlled the opponents, especially the Greeks, considered favorites for the World Championship title.
“We had a positive day here in Búzios! We were fast in the races and used the wind to our advantage. This championship is day by day, today was very good, but tomorrow has much more,” said Joana Gonçalves.
In the mixed 420, another positive result with Lucas Freitas and Victoria Back in fourth place, while the Italians Quan Cardi and Mattia Tognocchi lead. “Today we had a great day, with very difficult conditions, a lot of waves, weaker wind, and strong competition, but we managed to meet all our expectations. And we want to continue like this,” said Victoria Back.
In the 29er class, the Santa Catarina duo Guilherme Menezes and Fernando Menezes opened the Youth Sailing World Championship in second place on the table after three races. The athletes are only behind the French Karl Devaux and Hugo Revil.
For Fernando Menezes, the pair knew how to take advantage of the course knowledge to stay among the top. “We are in second in a very difficult condition, which is varying a lot in intensity and direction. We managed to have good races nonetheless. Now we try to maintain intensity for tomorrow and do our best. You always have to be attentive, you can’t disconnect for a moment in the race.”
In the female 29er, the Poles Ewa Lewandowska and Julia Maria Zmudzinska dominated the races with 100% efficiency. The young Brazilians Clara Meyer Cardoso and Lívia Valduga Nogueira are in 21st place.
In the ILCA, the class that elevated idol status, São Paulo’s Robert Scheidt, Felipe Fraquelli is in the competition, closing in fifth place on the first day. The athlete fluctuated in the first race, but in the other, he finished second. The lead belongs to the Dutchman Hidde Scharaffordt.
In the female category, the team’s youngest, Valentina Roma, only 14 years old, is 18th. In the second race of the day, the athlete from Pernambuco was among the Top 10. The Croatian Petra Marendic is in first place. Nine races will be held for both genders.
In the female IQFoil, the Brazilian Sofia Rocha is in 17th place after four races on the Manguinhos course. The lead is held by the New Zealander Aimee Bright. In the male version, without Brazilians, the best of the day was Noé Garandeau.
The Formula Kite class had no races on the opening day of the World Championship. The Brazilian representative is Lucas Fonseca. In the Nacra 15, Alex Kuhl and Alexia Buuck are in eighth place. The best so far are the Americans Cody Roe and Brooke Mertz.
Energisa is the official sponsor of the Brazilian Youth Sailing Team in the Búzios 2023 Youth Sailing World Championship through the State Department of Sports and Leisure – Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro.
The French dermo cosmetics brand Avène is a sponsor of CBVela – Brazilian Sailing Confederation. The agreement takes effect from December 2023 and will last for 13 months.
Text & Photo Credits: Youth Sailing World Championship
