Irish Sailing’s youth team delivered a series of mixed performances at the 2025 Youth World Sailing Championships, held in Vilamoura, Portugal, against one of the strongest international fields in youth sailing.
Competing were Sienna Wright (Howth YC), Bobby Driscoll (Ballyholme YC) both in ILCA 6 and Cora McNaughton (Blessington SC) and Matt Mapplebeck (Royal Cork YC) in the Mixed 420.
Across the championship, Irish sailors delivered several standout individual race performances, with Sienna Wright producing a particularly strong showing in the ILCA 6 class. The Howth sailor recorded impressive results, including a race win and a third-place finish, and was firmly in medal contention at the close of racing on the penultimate day, sitting just one point behind eventual champion Irene De Tomas of Spain.
A post-race protest resulted in the disqualification of Wright’s final race result of the day, which significantly impacted the overall standings and moved her from second to fifth overnight. Despite the setback, she returned for the final day of racing and completed the championship in 11th place overall.
Bobby Driscoll had a tough job on his hands from the start. Sailing in the male ILCA 6 fleet, he had some standout moments but ultimately struggled to convert them into results. According to Irish Sailing coach, Anna Wienzieher, Bobby sailed his best race on the final day where he finished 7th, leaving him 18th overall.
Meanwhile, starting-line issues and some tricky conditions saw the 420 mixed duo of Cora McNaughton and Matt Mapplebeck pay a hefty points price resulting in them finishing in 23rd position. They had some good results in a 9th and a 10th place on the final day of racing and will have gained from very valuable experience from this event.
Irish Sailing Performance Director, James O’Callaghan praised the group’s efforts, noting the importance of the event within the development framework, “The Youth Sailing World Championships are a demanding test, both physically and mentally. Our sailors showed great commitment throughout the week, and the experience gained here will be hugely beneficial as they continue their progression.”
The Championships provided an opportunity for sailors to benchmark themselves against the very best internationally, reinforcing Ireland’s growing reputation for producing competitive youth sailors capable of performing on the world stage.
Irish Sailing would like to thank the athletes, coaches Anna Wienzieher and Tom Mapplebeck for their dedication, along with the families and clubs whose ongoing support continues to underpin youth sailing success.