This year’s iQFOiL U23 World Championship was decided with a new Medal Series format intended for use in the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
This year’s iQFOiL championship claimed a pioneering role in the future of Olympic sailing. This follows from the Kite and iQFOiL classes being tasked by World Sailing with developing a shared Medal Race format for the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Thus in Portimão a new concept was trialed in a World Championship for the first time.
The guiding principle was simple: to reward consistency and the results earned throughout the week, while keeping the medal race series thrilling and decisive . . . something that has involved the minds of all the Olympic classes over the years.
Under this new system, the leader of the Opening Series cannot lose the world title unless they are beaten twice in the final showdown.
Here’s how it works – there are two possible scenarios:
If the Opening Series leader wins the Final, the competition ends immediately and they are crowned World Champion.
Or secondly if the leader does not win the Final, a decisive Super Final is held.
If the leader takes this race, they claim the title. But if they are beaten again, the crown passes to the winner of the Super Final.
This “double-chance” system gives weight to the hard work done during the week, but also ensures that the title is fought for on the water in a high-pressure, spectator-friendly finale.
The 2025 iQFOiL U23 World Championship final results were:
In the U23 Men’s Medal Series, overall leader Grae Morris (AUS) lost out in the first final race, with Nacho Baltasar Summers (ESP) takeing the win, but Morris recovered to win the Sper Final and claim a second match-point and the championship.
Nacho Baltasar Summers (ESP) took silver and Leonardo Tomasini (ITA) the bronze.
In the women’s U23 Medal Series, overall leader Mina Mobekk (NOR) was also edged out in the first final race, Aimee Bright (NZL) taking the win, and forcing a Super Final to decide the title.
Stella Bilger (NZL) emerged victorious, to take the world title. Aimee Bright (NZL) finished second, while Mina Mobekk (NOR) had to settle for the bronze.
Men Medal Series – Final
Gold AUS 81 Grae MORRIS
Silver ESP 1 Nacho BALTASAR SUMMERS
Bronze ITA 155 Leonardo TOMASINI
4th ITA 286 Federico Alan PILLONI
5th FRA 39 Émile ROULLET
6th GBR 18 Duncan MONAGHAN
7th FRA 965 Côme JOLY
8th NED 52 Hidde VAN DER MEER
Women Medal Series – Final
Gold NZL 50 Stella BILGER
Silver NZL 15 Aimee BRIGHT
Bronze NOR 332 Mina MOBEKK
4th NOR 21 Maya GYSLER
5th CZE 80 Nela SADÍLKOVÁ
6th EST 127 Emma Viktoria MILLEND
7th NOR 29 Tuva OPPEDAL
8th CZE 98 Barbora ŠVÍKOVÁ
