The iQFoil Youth and Junior season begins in Torbole.
iQFOIL YOUTH & JUNIOR SEASON RISE WITH RECORD NUMBERS IN TORBOLE, ITALY
Over 200 athletes from 23 nations gather on Lake Garda for the
Youth & Junior International Games, after a high-level opening Italian Cup.
The international iQFOiL class is entering the 2025 season with record participation and growing global engagement. This week, Torbole on Lake Garda hosts the iQFOiL Youth & Junior International Games, the second major event on the international calendar and the first dedicated exclusively to the U17 (Junior) and U19 (Youth) categories.
With 218 registered athletes from 23 countries across five continents, the event reflects the remarkable growth and diversity of the iQFOiL class, the windsurfing discipline selected for the Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
This strong start follows an action-packed weekend that saw nearly 120 competitors from 14 nations compete in the second leg of the iQFOiL Italian Cup, also held in Torbole last weekend. Notable performances included Valentino Blewett, formerly of Circolo Surf Torbole and now sailing under the Canadian flag, in the U19 men’s fleet, and Medea Falcioni (SEF Stamura) of Italy’s near-perfect run in the U19 women’s fleet, taking a first and second place. Frantisek Burda of the Czech Republic took first place in the U17 men’s fleet, while Marta Valente (WC Taranto) took first place in the U17 women’s division.
This week’s Games mark the first major international iQFOiL regatta for Youth and Junior sailors on a lake, and also serve as a further test of the new racing rules and format of the Medal Series introduced from January 2025. In addition to the second test of the 7.3m² rig for Youth Women and the use of carbon foils now permitted in the Junior fleet, the updated final format is designed to reward consistency and sailing skill.
Racing begins on Tuesday, May 6th, with the first possible start at 1:00 PM, followed by an official opening ceremony at 6:00 PM. Despite the less than optimistic weather forecast, local knowledge suggests that Lake Garda’s classic northerly breeze could provide reliable racing conditions during the first few days of the regatta.
The regattas will feature a dynamic combination of Sprint races, held in upwind and downwind slalom formats with heat starts; Course races, designed to test consistency and tactical decision-making; and a Long Distance Marathon, awarding double points and pushing the sailors’ endurance and strategic planning to the limit.
With 82 entries in the U17 men’s fleet and 73 in the U19 men’s fleet, as well as 30 athletes in each of the women’s fleets, participation exceeded expectations, confirming the iQFOiL Youth & Junior platform as the most vibrant, competitive and diverse globally in the sport of sailing today.
Event website:
https://2025iqyjgamestorbole.sailti.com/en/default/races/race
Entry list:
https://2025iqyjgamestorbole.sailti.com/en/default/races/race-inscriptions
