The 2025 PredictWind New Zealand Youth Championships is is underway at Manly Sailing Club. Running from 21–24 September, the regatta unites the country’s best under-19 sailors across Olympic dinghy classes and foiling boards, serving as both a Youth Team trial and a proving ground for future international stars.
Youth sailors set for 2025 PredictWind New Zealand Youth Championships
From opening tests to fresh momentum
Day 1 opened in heavy breeze and swell, with sailors pushed hard to find control. It was a day that belonged to those who could master the conditions: Will Leech and Will Mason started with three straight wins in the 29er, Cam Brown and Oli Stone led the 420s with a pair of bullets, Tom Pilkington and Liam Dimock traded wins in ILCA 6, while foilers Ben Rist, Daniella Wooldridge, and Kosta Gladiadis stamped early authority.
Heavy breeze tests sailors on first day of 2025 PredictWind NZ Youth Championships action
Day two – leaders stretch ahead
The second day brought more racing and decisive moves. In the 29er, Leech and Mason continued their domination, sweeping all three races to sit miles ahead on 5 nett points. Behind them, Nelsen Meacham and Joe Leith edged into second, tied (nett points) with Blake Batten and Merrick Sanderson, who showed sharp boat speed.
The 420s remained closer. Brown and Stone added two more wins before Clinton and Higson broke through in the final race of the day, their consistency narrowing the gap to just three nett points. Hamish Brown and Nathan Soper kept steady in third.
ILCA 6 racing remained tense. Pilkington had a bumpy day but added another win and, with consistent top finishes, now leads narrowly on 8 nett points. Luxford sits only one nett point behind, while Begic climbed to third with two strong races.
Foiling fleets find their rhythm
The iQFOiL 8m fleet packed in five races on day two. Rist took them all, cementing his place at the top ahead of Misescu and Tuck. In the 7.3m division, Wooldridge continued her winning streak until White stole the last race, though Wooldridge still holds a healthy lead.
Wingfoiling saw Gladiadis unstoppable again, sweeping the scoreboard even as Peet and Bouchet traded blows for second and third.
Looking ahead to Day 3
Day two tightened the picture. The front-runners in several fleets pulled clear, yet the 420s and ILCA 6s remain delicately poised. With two days still to race, every tack and shift on Whangaparāoa Bay could prove decisive for sailors chasing Youth Team selection and the chance to represent New Zealand on the world stage.
Tomorrow’s forecast points to cooler temperatures, passing rain, and a steady breeze along the Whangaparāoa Coast. The swell is expected to ease back below a metre, setting the stage for another testing but raceable day on the water.
