World Sailing is pleased to announce that the Polish port city of Gdynia has been chosen to host the 2025 World Sailing Youth Match Racing World Championships, taking place from 21-27 July 2025 as part of the annual Gdynia Sailing Days festival.
Gdynia Marina, host venue for the 2027 World Sailing Championships, will welcome 16 teams – an increase of four from the 2024 edition of the Youth Match Racing World Championships.
The championship will use the RS21 one-design racing keelboat, which levels the playing field and will lead to intense competition. The RS21 is ideal for close, tactical racing, allowing the skill and strategy of the crew to be the deciding factor.
World Sailing Director of Events, Jim Morris, said, “Gdynia is Poland’s sailing capital and there is no better place for the young stars of match racing to compete. We are delighted to award the event to the city and look forward to incredible racing featuring an expanded roster of teams from around the world. We are very confident that the city and the Polish Yachting Association will deliver an exceptional event and inspire even more young sailors to experience the exciting discipline of the match racing format.”
Tomasz Chamera, Championship Coordinator, commented, “We’re really excited to announce that Gdynia will host the Youth Match Racing World Championship. This is an incredible opportunity for young sailors from around the world to compete at a high level and a great chance to showcase the talent of the next generation of sailors.
“Together with World Sailing, we are committed to growing youth sailing. This is exactly the kind of event that helps sailing grow globally and we are confident this event will be a fantastic experience for everyone involved – whether competing, watching, or volunteering.”
Crews must be under the age of 23 to compete and will be comprised of four or five members, including at least one female and one male sailor, with a total weight limit of 350kg.
Competition takes place over five rounds: a round robin, a repechage, quarter finals, semi-finals and the Grand Final, with a Petit Final to determine third and fourth place.
The Notice of Race for the 2025 Youth Match Racing World Championship can be viewed here.
