Team named for Portugal
British Youth Sailing has selected 15 sailors to represent Great Britain at the 2026 Youth Sailing World Championships. The regatta will take place at Marina de Vilamoura in Loulé, Portugal, from 15 to 19 December.
The British team will compete across iQFOiL, Formula Kite, ILCA 6, Nacra 15, 29er and 420 classes. Selection followed results from the Youth Nationals and international events through the season.
Across boards, boats and foils
The squad includes Beau Handley and Sophie Clark in iQFOiL, with Ben Field selected in Formula Kite. Toby Waggett and Jess Powell will race in the ILCA 6 fleets as part of a team spanning several very different disciplines.
That breadth reflects how modern youth sailing now stretches from traditional dinghy racing to foiling boards and kites. Young sailors therefore arrive at the worlds through increasingly specialised performance pathways.
International experience
The Youth Sailing World Championships bring national teams together in a format that exposes sailors to high-level international racing at an early stage. Conditions, fleet depth and pressure are often different from those experienced at domestic events.
For many competitors, the regatta is also an important step toward senior classes and future Olympic campaigns. Even sailors who choose different routes later gain experience in preparation, travel and racing under a national-team structure.
What the selection means
Being selected rewards a season of consistent performance rather than one isolated result. It also gives coaches a chance to work with the group as a team even though they compete in separate classes.
The December event will provide a final major test for Britain’s leading youth sailors in 2026. Results will be watched closely, but the experience itself will also help shape the next stage of each sailor's development.