2021 ILCA 4 Youth Worlds – Final Day

Dun Laoghaire (IRELAND) – 14 August 2021

All of the 230 sailors, from the 31 competing nations, returned from Dublin Bay this afternoon after six testing days of world class racing and all were winners in one way or another. Many improved their skills, some pushed for the podium, all experienced world class competition, but as the regatta closed, we crowned the 2021 ILCA 4 Youth World Champions. 

No one said it would be easy but the variety of wind conditions, stunning list of top-class entrants and racing that was at the highest level ensured the victors were deserved of their hard-fought world titles. 

Only one race was possible for all but the Girls gold fleet today as the lighter conditions toyed with the race committee but didn’t provide the required stability to complete the 12^th and final race. As the fleets were heading for Dun Laoghaire harbour Martins Atilla (LAT) and Emma Mattivi (ITA) were preparing themselves for the jubilant celebrations that would greet them shoreside. Both now have their places set in history as the 2021 world champions in the ILCA 4 class. Emma and Martins had already shown they were worthy contenders, and both were overnight leaders as racing began today. Cool heads, impeccable race management and perhaps leaning on the single discard that was available was enough for these deserved champions to lift the title for 2021. 

Final ICLA4 Youth World Championship Results;  

Girls Gold: 1^st Emma Mattivi (ITA), 2^nd Petra Marednic (CRO), 3^rd Gaia Bolzonella (ITA), 4^th Claudia Adán Lledó (ESP), 5^thAnnemijn Algra (NED), 6^th Roos Wind (NED), 7^th Johanna Böckl (AUT), 8^th Gabriëla Groenewegen Van Der Weijden (GRE), 9^thGiorgia Bonalana (ITA), 10^th Alina Iuorio (ITA). 

Boys Gold: 1^st Martins Atilla (LAT), 2^nd Alexandros Eleftheriadis (GRE), 3^rd Massimiliano Antoniazzi (ITA), 4^th Joan Ravie (ESP), 5^thHidde Wapstra (NED), 6^th Hidde Schraffordt (NED), 7^th Max Frank (NED), 8^th Daniel Cardona Balsa (ESP), 9^th Can Veysel Kaska (TUR), 10^th Miguel Sancho (POR). 

Girls Silver: 1^st Cristina Castellanos (GUA), 2^nd Arwen Fflur (GBR), 3^rd Donna-Tinke Huijsmans (NED), 4^th Léonie Baudet (SUI), 5^thIsabella Mendoza Cabezas (USA), 6^th Anna Vasilieva (USA), 7^th Ava Anderson (USA), 8^th Paula Bestard Mayol (ESP), 9^th Cannelle Opstaele (BEL), 10^th Mikaela Panagopoulou (GRE). 

Boys Silver:  1^st Benjamin Reeser, 2^nd Oisín Mac Sweeney (IRL), 3^rd Antonio Pascali (GBR), 4^th Karel Ratnik (EST), 5^th Jacob Zils (USA), 6^th Keijiro Kikkawa (GBR), 7^th Andrea Dubois (SUI), 8^th Florian Vreeburg (NED), 9^th Connor Demming (USA), 10^th João Pacheco (POR). 

U16 Boys: 1^st Alexandros Eleftheriadis (GRE), 2^nd Hidde Schraffordt (NED), 3^rd Dionysios Kalpogiannakis (GRE)

U16 Girls: 1^st Adriana Castro (ESP), 2^nd Audrey Foley (USA), 3^rd Signe Brinkert (NED). 

Irish Girls: 1^st Eimer McMorrow Moriarty, 2^nd Anna O’Connor, 3^rd Hannah Dadley-Young, 4^th Sienna Wright, 5^th Iseult Hogan, 6^thElla Dempsey, 7^th Una Connell, 8^th Emma Lynch, 9^th Megan O’Sullivan, 10^th Isabel Mc Carthy.  

Irish Boys: 1^st Rocco Wright, 2^nd Archie Daly, 3^rd Luke Turvey, 4^th James Dwyer, 5^th Oisín Mac Sweeney, 6^th Darragh Collins, 7^thChristian Ennis, 8^th Oisin Hughes, 9^th Russell Bolger, 10^th Patrick Bruen. 

An extra special mention must go to all who made this event possible. ILCA, the Royal St. George Yacht Club, The National Yacht Club, Dun Laoighaire Rathdown County Council, Fáilte Ireland, CH Marine and Irish Sailing to name but a few. It takes a team and the 200+ volunteers that provided endless support to the sailors played a vital role in ensuring this event was a success and showcasing what Ireland has to offer as a world class destination and sailing venue. 

Kudos to Ian Simmington (Event Organising Committee Chairman) and Con Murphy (Principal Race Officer) for offering their time, dedication to getting the job done, services to sailing and in helping to develop the next generation of budding Olympians, International Champions and sailing ambassadors. 

Lastly, to the ILCA sailors. From the practice race to the final race today, from early morning starts until late evening finishes and even when the conditions were at their most fierce, you showed why the sport of sailing is the sport of champions. Sailors were keen to help each other, happy to sharing a joke and always looked out for one another. The Carlisle Pier in Dún Laoghaire Harbour was buzzing all week with fun, smiles and the enjoyment that comes from a community of brilliant young people enjoying the elements and testing their sailing skills to the maximum and this is what it’s all about! 

Vilamoura, Portugal is the host for the 2022 ILCA 4 Youth World Championships and we hope to see everyone there with the same enthusiasm, spirit and desire to champions.