The Youth Match Racing World Championship puts Middelfart on the sailing world map

The 12 crews begin the opening round robin today after the championship was officially opened at GoSail’s new headquarters at Middelfart Marina, which has been dressed with flags and banners from the many partners helping bring the event to the city.

“As a city and municipality, we want to put a clear mark next to Middelfart on the sailing world map. We have something very special to offer: the Little Belt is beautiful, but it is also demanding when it comes to racing. There is current, shifting breeze and tactical challenges. These waters test the match racers, and that is why Fænøsund and the area off Middelfart Marina are ideal for a world championship,” said Mayor Anders Møllegård at Sunday’s opening ceremony.

Sailors, coaches and families from 11 nations attended the ceremony, where they enjoyed cold drinks on the terrace of GoSail’s brand-new headquarters after a hot training day, overlooking Fænøsund and the marina that will host the world championship over the coming four days.

Match racing is sailing’s one-on-one duel, where two boats go head-to-head and use manoeuvres, tactics and boat handling to outsmart and outmanoeuvre their opponent.

“For several years, we have worked hard to convince World Sailing to give us the opportunity to host the Youth Match Racing World Championship. During that period, we have hosted four world championships, but to see the future stars of the sport on the water today is the highlight of many years of dedicated work,” said Søren Laugesen, CEO of GoSail, which organises the event in cooperation with Middelfart Sailing Club.

Rossing: Aiming for the podium

For the organisers, Denmark’s current spell of summer weather could hardly have come at a better time. During Sunday’s training races, the sailors were able to compete in shorts and T-shirts on the water. It is not often in Denmark that sailors can leave their heavy waterproof gear in the bag and instead focus on applying enough sunscreen before heading out.

“It has been a fantastic day on the water, and we are ready to fight for a place on the podium. I have put together a strong team with one sailor from New Zealand and two from Sweden, and we are aiming for a top result at my final World Championship as a junior,” said Mathias Rossing from the Royal Danish Yacht Club, one of two Danish skippers at the event.

While Mathias Rossing will communicate in English with his crew during the championship, all commands will be in Danish on board the second Danish boat competing in Middelfart.

“Today was the first time all five of us sailed together, and it went well. The boats we are racing are quite lively and respond quickly to our input, so they actually need to be sailed more like a dinghy than a keelboat. They accelerate fast, and our focus is on controlling what we can control and minimising mistakes. We are a new match racing crew, and for us the most important thing is to keep improving,” said skipper Victor Melchior from the Royal Danish Yacht Club.

World number one Ethan Fong from New Zealand welcomes the challenges that Fænøsund will present to the championship fleet.

“At a World Championship like this, anyone can win. Everyone is determined to give their best, and even though we are currently ranked number one in the world, the trophy is far from guaranteed. The conditions are difficult to read as a sailor, and that means everyone has a chance. We need to sail at our very best if we want to win here,” he said ahead of the opening round robin, which begins on Monday.

New world champion to be crowned on Thursday

Match racing is sailing’s one-on-one format, and all crews consist of sailors born in 2003 or later. The mixed crews, made up of both women and men, must not exceed a combined crew weight of 350 kilos.

Racing takes place in Blu 26 boats – light and easily driven keelboats that are well suited to the heatwave-like conditions expected during the championship, with light breeze and flat water on Fænøsund.

The races will be held just metres from the pier at Middelfart Marina, allowing spectators to look directly into the boats and hear the sailors communicate as they try to outmanoeuvre each other before the start. That makes the newly renovated marina a perfect spectator platform, offering a front-row view of the World Championship.

“On the water, the sailors must work together on tactics, precision and competition. That fits Middelfart well. Middelfart is a town shaped by the water, and the Little Belt is part of our history, our identity and our everyday life. That is why it makes so much sense for us to host the Youth Match Racing Worlds – powered by Bunker One. As a municipality, we have a vision to create space to grow and room to live, using our strengths wisely and ambitiously,” said Mayor Anders Møllegård on the municipality’s support for the championship.

In addition to GoSail and Middelfart Sailing Club as organisers and hosts, the World Championship has been made possible in cooperation with strong partners including World Sailing, the Danish Sailing Association, Sport Event Denmark, Destination Fyn and a wide range of public and private partners.

After the opening round robin, where every team races every other team, the best crews will advance to the quarter-finals. The winner of the World Championship will be decided on Thursday.

All races can be followed live from the pier at Middelfart Marina, with the race area located close to shore regardless of wind direction. Racing begins on 22 June 2026.

Text and images courtesy of Mick Anderson, Press Officer – Youth Match Racing Worlds 2026.