Victoria Schultheis, who competes under the Maltese flag and represents the Royal Malta Yacht Club, has been crowned Women’s World Champion in the Moth Class. The title was awarded on Sunday 13th July, following the conclusion of the Moth World Championship held in Malcesine, on Lake Garda.
Organizers confirmed that the Championship brought together 137 of the world’s top sailors, with Schultheis finishing as the highest-ranked female competitor, ahead of reigning champion Hattie Rogers of Great Britain and Germany’s Lisa Schweigert. Remarkably, her success comes only a few months after she began racing in the Moth class—an advanced hydrofoiling dinghy known for its speed, complexity, and innovation.
The event, hosted by Fraglia Vela Malcesine, was said to have been marked by unstable weather conditions, which prompted race officials to opt for early starts to make the most of favourable northerly breezes. These conditions reportedly allowed the final two qualifying races to be completed, enabling the fleet to be divided into Gold and Silver groups.
Schultheis not only claimed the women’s title but also placed 39th overall, competing in a fleet that included Olympians and seasoned professionals. Her performance followed a strong showing at Foiling Week Malcesine, also on Lake Garda, where she had previously achieved a major win.
In remarks shared after the event, Schultheis said she felt fantastic about the result and expressed gratitude to those who had supported her throughout the week. She mentioned that the fleet had been welcoming and supportive during her first months in the class. She also credited Hattie Rogers as a key inspiration, explaining that it was after watching Rogers compete in New Zealand that she decided to try the Moth class herself.
This marks Schultheis’s second world title, having previously won the Optimist World Championship in 2016. With the next Moth World Championship more than a year away, Schultheis is expected to focus on balancing her academic commitments with racing in the Switch class, an emerging one-design class growing in popularity among elite sailors. Her upcoming semester abroad in Sydney is anticipated to offer both academic and sailing opportunities.
Royal Malta Yacht Club Commodore Mark Napier described the result as a proud moment for the club and for Maltese sailing. He stated that Schultheis’s dedication and success serve as an inspiration for young sailors and expressed confidence in her continued achievements both on and off the water.
