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New Zealand’s young sailing stars have delivered a remarkable run of results on opposite sides of the globe - with two world titles secured in just three days.
The streak began in Aix-les-Bains, France, at the weekend where Zofia Wells and Charlotte Handley (top left) were crowned RS Feva world champions. The junior pair finished second overall and first girls' team in a 168-strong fleet, building their result on a string of race wins on Day 2 and consistent performances across the series.
Full results here.
Less than 72 hours later, Chloe Turner (top right) claimed the ILCA 6 under-17 world title at the youth world championships in Los Angeles. She finished 13th overall in the girls' fleet and well clear of her nearest under-17 rival after opting to consolidate her age-group lead on the final day.
Turner was coached in the US by Kiwi Olympian Tom Saunders. In the boys’ fleet, Tom Pilkington was 37th and Arran Begic 52nd, while Sam Clarke, Beau Utting and Jack Hollands raced in silver fleet.
Full results here.
The results are the latest in a strong international season for New Zealand’s young sailors, many of whom have been competing - and podiuming - across Europe and North America.
Jack Frewin (right) and the CYCA team. Photo / Governor’s Cup
Earlier this week, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia team of Cole Tapper, Hamish Vass, and New Zealand’s Jack Frewin successfully defended their title at the Governor’s Cup in Newport Beach.
The trio defeated a top American team 3-1 in the final to win the prestigious youth match racing regatta for the second year running.
The Governor’s Cup is widely regarded as the premier youth match racing event globally.
Full results here.
Vlad Misescu was 26th at the iQFOiL youth world championships. Photo / iQFOiL
In late July, Vlad Misescu and Ben Rist both made the gold fleet at the 2025 iQFOiL youth world championships in Brest, France - an impressive result for the under-17 sailors racing in the under-19 men's division.
Misescu finished 26th overall in the 149-strong fleet, with Rist close behind in 41st.
Full results here.
Summer Torbet was the top-placed under-13 girl. Photo / Kazushige Nakajima
Summer Torbet delivered a standout performance at the 2025 Open Skiff world championships in Nishinomiya, Japan, finishing as first girl and third overall in the under-13 fleet. Her results included nine top-five finishes and two race wins.
In the under-17 division, Valentina Gladiadias was second girl and 14th overall.
Ten sailors represented New Zealand across the age groups, with strong efforts from Joseph Reynolds, Mia Peters, Ruby Peters, Chase Torbet, Max Jameson, Eric Yao, Morgan Batt, Mei Whitehead and Hans Evans.
Full results here.
Jake Pye finished just behind Tom Slingsby and Enzo Balanger. Photo / Martina Orsini
Just over a week earlier, Jake Pye delivered a standout result at the 2025 Moth world championships on Lake Garda - claiming bronze overall and finishing as the top youth sailor in the fleet.
The former national champion and 2024 world championship runner-up secured three top-three finishes in gold fleet racing to finish just two points behind Australia's Tom Slingsby. France’s Enzo Balanger took the title.
Defending champion Mattias Coutts finished 12th, with strong performances from fellow Kiwis Jack Bennett (13th), Sam Street (25th), Henry Haslett (28th), Tim Howse (37th), Riley Dean (40th) and Stuart Goodes (62nd) in the 137-boat fleet.
Full results here.
Oli Stone in action in Turkey. Photo / International 420 class association
In early July, at the 2025 420 world championships in Urla, Turkey, both New Zealand crews reached the gold fleet.
Cam Brown and Oli Stone finished 16th overall with five top-10 results, while Ashton and Simon Cooke placed 33rd in the 101-boat fleet.
Full results here.
Ewan Brazle and Toby Clarke claimed the overall under-17 title at the 29er European championships. Photo / Sander van der Borch
Meanwhile, at the 29er European Championships at Lake Garda, two Kiwi crews delivered standout performances in a highly competitive 251-boat fleet.
Ewan Brazle and Toby Clark claimed the overall under-17 title and finished an impressive 21st overall after a consistent and composed week.
Nelsen Meacham and Joe Leith secured the top non-European team spot and narrowly missed a top-10 overall finish on countback following a strong gold fleet showing.
Other Kiwi crews also posted solid results, including Will Leech and Will Mason in 14th overall and Bella Jenkins and Jess Handley as the best-placed women's team.
Full results here.
Matteo Barker lit up the 2025 Optimist world championships in Portorož, Slovenia, finishing 10th overall among 281 competitors.
Barker notched four top-10 finishes in qualifying and recorded a best of 11th in the gold fleet.
Jake Dickey also reached the gold fleet, placing 29th overall after a standout qualifying series that included a race win.
Blake Duncan finished 112th in the silver fleet, while Will Fyfe and Nathan Soper competed in the emerald fleet, placing 228th and 231st respectively.
Full results here.
Jason Marra and Brendon Duske competed in Europe in June. Photo / Supplied
Though no one would mistake them for "young sailors", Brendon Duske and Jason Marra threw down the gauntlet in two major F18 catamaran events across Europe in June.
At the Round Texel in the Netherlands - the world’s largest catamaran race with over 230 entries - the pair finished 43rd overall in their first major outing on the boat. Despite limited time on the F18 beforehand, they crossed the line 30th in the final race and picked up a special prize for travelling the furthest to compete.
Full results here.
Their next challenge was the five-day Stockholm Archipelago Raid in Sweden, where 12 teams navigated 30,000 islands in the Baltic Sea. Duske and Marra placed 11th out of 12 but joined an elite group who completed the gruelling race.
Full results here.
