ILCA World Championships: The Northern Wind Arrives — Qingdao’s Final Challenge

Six days of scheduled racing brought four windless days, one light wind day, and one day of raging gusts. In essence, the championship compressed the entire meteorological spirit of Qingdao into a single regatta: fog, calm, insects, ocean debris, shifting currents, and today’s howling 40-knot squall.

On the ILCA 6 course, the women sailors truly embodied the phrase “riding the wind and breaking the waves.” Again and again, they capsized and righted their boats, refusing to quit until every race was sailed and finished. They were not just racing against each other—but against the storm itself.

Final Results｜ILCA 7

• 🥇 Willem Wiersema (NED)
The 23-year-old from the Netherlands claimed the championship with just 11 points. “I’m really happy today,” he said. “Yesterday I didn’t have a great first race, but I opened myself up to a new day, new pressure, and just went for it. Qingdao is a big and surprising city—it feels fresh and exciting. I’m really proud to be the World Champion here.”

• 🥈 Pavlos Kontides (CYP)
The Olympic veteran from Cyprus secured silver with 12 points. A former Beijing Olympian and four-time World Cup winner, Kontides used his deep experience and familiarity with Qingdao to navigate the tricky conditions like a local.

• 🥉 Zac Littlewood (AUS)
The Australian sailor secured the bronze medal with a consistent performance, earning a proud podium finish for his team.

Final Results｜ILCA 6

• 🥇 Louise Cervera (FRA)
Fresh off a win at the European Cup, the French sailor claimed the World Championship title. “I honestly can’t believe this happened,” Louise said. “I was just trying to do my best. My first race wasn’t great, but I pushed myself harder after that. I felt really in tune with the wind shifts, and my downwind was especially strong. This gives me so much confidence for the Los Angeles Olympics in three years.”

• 🥈 Agata Barwinska (POL)
The Polish sailor led the fleet after three races yesterday and showed tenacity under pressure. “I was really happy to be leading after yesterday’s racing,” she said. “But today’s northern wind—it was really tough.”

• 🥉 Eve McMahon (IRL)
Tied in points with Barwinska at 24, the Irish sailor took third place based on tie-break.

Ceremony Night｜A Celebration of Champions

The 2025 Qingdao ILCA World Championship Award Ceremony was held at the Qingdao International Conference Center. On the waters that once held stillness, storms, and triumphs—honor now comes to rest. Congratulations to all the winners!

Text courtesy of Frankie Zheng/ILCA, images courtesy of Kong XiangJing.