Olympic pathways and foiling futures meet at Manly in New Zealand’s premier youth regatta
This September, the waters off Whangaparāoa will carry the weight of big dreams. From 20–24 September, the 2025 PredictWind New Zealand Youth Championships return to Manly Sailing Club, bringing together the country’s best under-19 sailors.
For these young athletes, the regatta is more than just another week of racing. It is the official selection trial for the New Zealand Youth Sailing Team, a chance to earn the right to represent Aotearoa on the world stage. It is also a celebration of the sport’s evolution, where Olympic pathway dinghies share the course with fast-emerging foiling boards.
Olympic pathways at the core
The backbone of the Youth Championships is built on three familiar dinghy classes: ILCA 6, 29er, and 420. These boats are where future Olympians are forged, demanding precision, endurance, and resilience.
ILCA 6 (Laser Radial): The singlehanded fleet is led by names like Sam Clarke and Tom Pilkington from Murrays Bay, alongside Chloe and George Turner, also from MBSC. Each brings experience and determination to a contest that will stretch over ten races.
29er: With its asymmetric spinnaker and trapeze, the 29er delivers fast, athletic sailing. The entry list features Hugh and Sean Kensington (Kohimarama/Royal Akarana), Ewan Brazle and Toby Clark (Manly SC), and all-female pairings such as Kate Howse and Lola Hamilton (Kohimarama/Maraetai) and Alexis Heckler and Isla Kee (Kohimarama/Torbay). Twelve short-format races will keep crews under relentless pressure.
420: A cornerstone of youth sailing worldwide, the 420 continues to attract talent. Crews include Amber Hughes and Phoebe Willis (Kohimarama/Murrays Bay), Flora Stevens and Sasha White (Glendowie/Kohimarama), and Zofia Wells and Charlotte Handley (Glendowie/Murrays Bay). Mixed teams such as Cam Brown and Oli Stone (Wakatere/Kohimarama) and Wanaka duo Thomas Jurczyluk and Oliver Wyeth will also line up. Ten races are scheduled, promising close and tactical racing.
For these classes, the stakes are clear: Youth Team selection, and the chance to take on the world’s best at the Youth Sailing World Championships.
Foiling boards bring new horizons
While the dinghies remain the heart of the Youth Championships, the foiling fleets are its bold new frontier. They represent a sport in motion — faster, lighter, and more dynamic every year.
iQFOiL 8m: The Olympic windsurfing class draws strong entries. Sailors to watch include Finn Davies and Josh Tuck (Wakatere), Ben Rist (Manly), and Margarita Konstantinova (Christchurch Windsurfing/Naval Point). Their schedule of up to 18 course and slalom races will demand stamina and adaptability.
Formula Kite: High-speed board racing at its most thrilling, the kitefoil division will light up Whangaparāoa with speed and spectacle.
Wingfoil: Still outside the Youth Worlds pathway but making strides, wingfoiling has a small but significant fleet. Hugo Appleby (Worser Bay) and Martin Bouchet (New Caledonia) stand out as early adopters bringing the discipline into New Zealand’s youth sailing scene.
Coaches Regatta warm-up
Before the Championships begin, the Yachting New Zealand Coaches Regatta will run this weekend at Manly. It provides a final chance for competitors to test gear, sharpen skills, and settle nerves before the Youth Championships.
More than a regatta
The PredictWind Youth Championships are as much about inspiration as they are about results. Clubs from Wanaka to Worser Bay, from Torbay to Wakatere, have invested in these sailors. Families and coaches have poured in time and energy. And now, on the waters of Whangaparāoa, the work will be tested.
On the entry lists are familiar names and family legacies. The Kensington brothers in the 29er, the Turner siblings in the ILCA 6, and crews from Glendowie, Kohimarama, Murrays Bay, Manly, and beyond. Together, they showcase both the strength of New Zealand’s sailing community and the ambition of its youth.
Where futures are made
On the waters of Whangaparāoa, expect close racing, raw determination, and the unmistakable sense that among these young athletes are New Zealand’s next Olympians, SailGP stars, and offshore champions.
