Qualifying heats up at the 29er European Championship
Three days of racing at the 29er European Championship in Riva del Garda have delivered every condition imaginable. From fresh Garda breeze to light and tactical races, the 251 teams from 29 nations have had their skills tested. The qualifying series is now complete, and two New Zealand crews have broken into the top ten.
Day 1 began with perfect Ora wind, delivering three clean races across all six fleets. New Zealand’s Will Leech and William Mason, along with Nelsen Meacham and Joe Leith, started strong and stayed close to the front.
On Day 2, the wind shifted. Light and patchy breeze made starts and positioning critical. The Kiwi pairs rose to the challenge, climbing the leaderboard while other teams struggled in the inconsistent conditions.
European 29er Championships – Day 2: Kiwi Crews Climb in Light Garda Breeze
By the end of Day 3, all fleets had completed five races. This locked in the qualifying results and set the stage for the finals series beginning Sunday 6 July.
Leaders emerge as Kiwis climb the rankings
At the top of the 29er European Championship standings, France’s Jocelyn Le Goff and Jules Vidor have taken the lead with 6 points. Their clean tactical sailing has been impressive across the fleets. Just one point behind are Swiss duo Ikke Huber and Liam Berger, who dominated early before a couple of top-four finishes balanced their scoreline. France also holds third and fourth, with Nolann Huet Des Aunay / Titouan Gresset and Alexandre Mostini / Raphaël Allain both on 8 points.
The Kiwis aren’t far off. Nelsen Meacham and Joe Leith now sit 7th overall with 12 points, closely followed by Will Leech and William Mason in 8th with 13 points. Both teams have proven they can handle pressure and perform across varied conditions. They’ll be pushing hard in the Gold fleet over the coming days.
New Zealand’s wider contingent
Beyond the top ten, Ewan Brazle and Toby Clark are in 17th place after a strong opening race and a steady day three. Peer Kruse with Leo Brown and Hugo Smith with Louis Quéré sit mid-fleet, while the Kiwi women’s teams are steadily improving. Bella Jenkins and Jess Handley broke into the top 10 in their fleet in one race and now hold 107th overall. Kate Rasmussen and Rose Dickey are placed 157th but showing good form.
Finals racing to begin
With qualification complete, the 29er European Championship now splits into Gold, Silver, Bronze, and further fleets. Over the next three days, sailors will compete for final standings, national pride, and personal bests.
Onshore, the camaraderie continues. Olympians from Paris 2024 inspired young crews during the Sailor Party, while sustainability remained front and centre through the Kidzink Eco-Hub workshop series.
Expect more thrills and leaderboard shifts as the finals unfold. The Kiwi teams have momentum and everything to race for.
Find 29er news here at https://www.29er.org/news/
Results of the 2025 29er European Championship are available here at https://29er.org/events/2025-european-championships/#results
