Maltese sailors have continued to perform well across Europe, achieving podium finishes at several major events and showing they can compete with some of the best in the sport.
ILCA 6, Kiel week, and World Championships
At Kiel Week 2025 in Germany, Timmy Vassallo gave an outstanding performance, winning the ILCA 4 class. He finished first overall after winning 8 out of 10 races, ending the event with just 12 net points. Fellow Maltese sailor Louyn Fereday also took part, finishing 33rd.
In the ILCA 6 class, Benjamin Vassallo and Mia Busuttil both made it into the Gold Fleet. Benjamin finished 13th out of 119 sailors, while Mia placed 55th. Harry Fairbairn came 71st overall, a solid result and a good start to his international sailing journey.
The ILCA 6 Men’s World Championship, held at the same time, brought challenging conditions, light winds during qualification and strong rain and wind in the finals. Despite this, Poyraz Fidaboy and Afonso Southino placed 97th and 98th.
ILCA 4 European Championships
At the ILCA 4 Youth European Championships in Poland, the Maltese team faced tricky weather, from calm breezes to sudden gusts. Jonas Micallef made it into the Gold Fleet and finished 35th overall. Tom Ellul and Kaine Muscat, both competing internationally for the first time in the Under-16 category, reached the Silver Fleet, finishing 22nd and 38th. Thomas Wilson came 59th in the Silver Fleet, and Emily Fenech finished 38th in the Gold Fleet, an impressive result for Malta’s young sailors.
Foiling week, Lake Garda
At Foiling Week in Lake Garda, Italy, the new Switch class made its debut, providing exciting racing. In the women’s category, Antonia Schultheis claimed first place, narrowly beating Sweden’s Vilma Bobeck and Italy’s Alessandra Dubbini. Women made up a quarter of the 32-boat fleet, showing the growing diversity of the class. Her sister, Victoria Schultheis, who now sails in the fast and technical Moth class, was the top female finisher, placing 29th out of 88 sailors from 23 countries.
IODA European Championships
At the IODA European Championships, Maltese Optimist sailors performed well, with six out of seven qualifying for the Gold Fleet. The event featured over 260 young sailors from 37 nations. Alexandra Nagrudnaya placed 7th overall (4th European), winning two races. Isaac Azzopardi finished 26th, Julia Borg 38th, Ella Demicoli 49th, Corey Joyce 50th, and Samantha Axisa 74th. The youngest sailor, Luca Attard, came 59th. Malta ranked 9th overall as a nation, ahead of strong sailing countries like Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
IODA World Championships, ongoing
Maltese sailors are currently competing at the IODA Optimist World Championships in Portorož, which run until 6 July. After the qualifying races, Matthias Spiteri is ranked 21st, followed by Seb Miceli Demajo in 46th, Nathan Montebello in 113th, Jack Vella in 190th, and Timothy Decesare in 232nd. Team racing is scheduled for today and Wednesday, with the final series to follow from Thursday to Saturday.
Michael Mifsud, President of the Malta Sailing Federation, said he was pleased with how Maltese sailors are performing abroad. He highlighted the results as a sign of both current and upcoming talent, and credited the Federation’s ongoing investment in the sport.
Thanks were extended to the sailors’ clubs, Birżebbuġa Sailing Club, Malta Young Sailors Club, and Royal Malta Yacht Club, as well as SportMalta, the Maltese Olympic Committee, and Visit Malta for their support.
