Shifting Winds, Storm Pressure, and a Lesson in Patience — Day Three of the ILCA 4 Youth Europeans in Puck

Day three of the ILCA 4 Youth European Championships put both sailors and race officials to the test, once again emphasizing how critical adaptability, patience, and mental resilience are in competitive sailing. With light and unpredictable winds sweeping across the Bay of Puck and a storm front looming on the horizon, every race required strategic timing and focus.

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Today | 07:17 | Source: Gazeta Morska | Prepared by: Kamil Kusier | Print

fot. Robert Hajduk / PZŻ

The day began ashore, with competitors and organizers waiting for a reliable breeze to materialize. Once on the water, numerous starts had to be postponed or abandoned due to wind shifts and fading pressure. The regatta committee worked under constant pressure from the approaching front, trying to optimize racing windows.

Only one race was completed for the girls’ gold fleet, while the boys’ fleets managed one race each across all four groups, and two additional races for the gold fleet.

Rankings and Polish Highlights

Greece’s Emmanouil Anastasios Vomvylas continues to lead the boys’ fleet. Among the Polish representatives, Wojciech Bortkiewicz holds 13th place in the silver fleet.

In the girls’ division, Derin Degisen from Turkey regained the overall lead, while Marta Ferrando Babe of Spain remains dominant in the U16 ranking.

Polish sailors in the gold fleet showed mixed form. Nina Mirowska holds a strong 12th place. Martyna Seroka dropped to 27th. Patrycja Jałoszyńska is currently 54th overall and 16th in the U16 category. Meanwhile, Matylda Jankowska from the Polish Sailing Association’s National Team climbed to 45th overall and 12th in U16.

Voices from the Fleet

Despite the trying conditions, sailors maintained a forward-looking mindset, underscoring how experiences like this shape them as competitors.

- It was really exhausting; the conditions were tough. We tried to start multiple times. I’m learning from my mistakes and getting better. It’s my first European Championship, and I’m proud of how I’m doing, said Matilde Moules of Portugal (53rd).

Tayfun Türk of Turkey (30th) added:

- We’ve been training for months, and now we’re doing our best. Puck is a good venue, just a bit colder than Turkey.

Timur Goca from Germany (34th) noted succinctly:

- It was difficult. The wind was very light and kept shifting. The level of competition is extremely high.

Poland’s Patrycja Jałoszyńska reflected more deeply:

- The conditions are really unstable. I perform better in stronger wind, so this was my most difficult day. Still, I know every challenge teaches me something. I hope I can use my strengths tomorrow if the wind picks up.

What’s Next?

With a stronger breeze and high swell forecasted for Wednesday, the regatta committee may be forced to suspend racing for safety reasons. However, many sailors are eager for more wind, hoping it will allow them to fully display their capabilities in the final stages of the championship.

While the shifting Baltic conditions challenge every fleet, the professional organization and competitive spirit in Puck continue to affirm the venue’s reputation as a world-class stage for youth sailing.