Drama on the virtual high seas: eSailing World Championship Semifinals ushers in a new generation

The tension was palpable, and the intensity maintained until the very end, delivering a mix of dominant performances, nail-biting finishes, and a significant shake-up in the eSailing hierarchy as several big names fell short.

Dominance and deciding moments

Brazil’s Jose Godinho (Jose Godi) and former world champion Tristan Péron (Asere) of France proved their class, asserting their dominance early and securing their Grand Final berths with remarkable consistency. But while the top two sailed smoothly into the next round, the battle for the remaining spots was where the excitement lay.

A mere 12 points separated third to eighth positions, demonstrating the fine margins and exceptional skill on show throughout the fleet. It all came down to the final F50 showdown, where Portugal’s Zemendes pulled off a heroic last-gasp effort, narrowly edging out Japan’s Yutsuki and France’s Stephane Galzin to snatch the final qualification slot.

A New Generation sets sail

The semifinals also delivered what might represent a seismic shift in eSailing. A remarkable five out of the ten qualifiers will be making their first appearance in an eSailing World Championship Final in July. This influx of fresh talent came at the expense of established names, as eight previous Finalists failed to advance, signalling a changing of the guard in the eSailing scene.

Leading this charge was a breakthrough performance from Team Japan, who secured three finalists from their seven entries, marking their best-ever showing in the ESWC series. Meanwhile, European powerhouses saw mixed fortunes; Italy and France each had four participants but only one qualifier apiece, while Spain, with four entries, saw none advance.

Several individual stories will also capture the attention heading into the Grand Final. Ukraine’s NaVi 767 showed incredible form, qualifying with three races to spare after a dominant start. Sweden’s Sara Granberg (SRG88) qualified for the Grand Final by winning the “Steering the Course” event in April, adding another dynamic to the diverse lineup. The Grand Final field was be enriched further with the exciting addition of a wildcard entry from host Poland, emphasising the global reach of eSailing.

The eSailing World Championship Grand Final in Gdynia, Poland, awaits the qualifiers where, on 20 July 2025, one player will emerge victorious.

As the only former world champion in the qualified field, Asere enters as the clear favourite, especially after his impressive Nations Cup victory in January, but with so many making the final for the first time there is a high possibility of seeing a new name on the trophy.

eSailing World Championship Grand Finalists

• Jose Godinho (Josegodi) BRAJG9
• Tristan Péron (asere) FRATP41
• Kyrylo Dolhov (NaVi 767) UKRKD9
• Kazuki Miyamae (FSC-Kazuki) JPNKM58
• Samuel Solano Lopes junior (Harder) BRASJ4
• Joakim Romell (Romell) SWEJR16
• Yuko Furukawa (Yuko_31657) JPNYF6
• Yuya Takubo (FC RICH) JPNYT36
• Lorenzo Sorrenti (Lorenzo) ITALS85
• José Mendes (zemendes-RS) PORJM39
• Sara Granberg (SGR88) SWESG11
• Polish Wildcard TBA