Junior Pan American Games: Full sail ahead for sailing at ASU2025

In a privileged natural setting, with the Paraná River as a backdrop, the continent’s best young sailors showcased their technique, strategy, and speed in the ILCA 6, ILCA 7, and iQFoil classes. Challenging weather conditions tested the crews and delivered a vibrant spectacle for the spectators.

In the ILCA 7 Men’s category, the United States’ Charles Barclay closed the day as the absolute leader with just 3 total points (TOT), followed by Bermuda’s Sebastian Aziz (7 TOT) and Jamaica’s Johnathon Schwartz (10 TOT). Fourth place went to O’zani Lafond of Antigua and Barbuda (11 TOT), while Chile’s Ricardo Lacámara rounded out the top five with 13 TOT.

In ILCA 6 Women’s, Brazil’s Ana Carolina Tonniges dominated the fleet with 4 TOT, trailed closely by Isabella Mendoza of the USA (5 TOT) and Canada’s Annalise Balasubramanian (6 TOT). Peru’s Florencia Salas (11 TOT) and Argentina’s Delfina Küttel (11 TOT) completed the top five.

The adrenaline spiked in Men’s iQFOiL, where the United States’ Makani Andrews and Aruba’s Kaj Rozeboom ended the day tied with 3 TOT, while Peru’s Bartolomé de las Casas Barbosa scored 7 TOT. Mexico’s Jerónimo Abogado secured fourth place with 8 TOT.

In Women’s iQFOiL, Aruba’s Zara Rozeboom had a flawless start with 1 TOT, followed by the United States’ Danicka Sailer (2 TOT) and Argentina’s Chiara Ferreti (3 TOT). Peru’s Sofía Rubini (4 TOT) and Brazil’s Sofía Rocha de Faria (6 TOT) rounded out the top five.

Competition format

In sailing, the scoring system assigns one point to the first-place finisher in each race, two to the second, and so on. The winner is the competitor with the lowest total points at the end of all races. Consistency and avoiding penalties are crucial to staying at the top of the leaderboard.

The races will continue on Saturday 16 August 16, and Sunday 17 August, with an official start time of 12:00 noon, always subject to wind conditions. Tomorrow will also see the debut of the Kite discipline, which promises breathtaking speed and spectacular maneuvers.

Text and images courtesy of ASU2025.