Day two of the Medemblik Junior Worlds brought another full slate of racing as the breeze held steady and new leaders emerged across all four fleets. The 49er fleet led off proceedings from 11:00, with yellow and blue groups hitting the water simultaneously. Wind was still up but a notch softer than the opening day, and every fleet completed its scheduled three races without interruption. The famous Medemblik chop continued to test technique upwind, while downwind legs demanded raw power and composure.
One striking theme has already taken shape after two days on the water. In three of the four fleets, two teams from the same national squad occupy podium positions, a vivid reminder that sailing is a relative sport and that a quality training partner can be just as valuable as individual talent.
Italy’s Lorenzo Pezzilli and Tobia Torroni (ITA 75) maintained their grip on the 49er fleet, finishing inside the top three in all six races sailed so far. The pair were among the leading Junior-age crews at the recent Senior European Championship, where they placed tenth overall, and on current form they are the team to beat in Medemblik. The one question mark is the forecast. Tomorrow is expected to bring lighter air, and this crew has looked most comfortable when the breeze is up, so calmer conditions could open the door for rivals. Two German crews are in closest pursuit.
Simon Heindl and Conrad Jacobs (GER 21) sit second, the only other two-digit sail number in the fleet, having qualified for the gold fleet at the Senior Worlds in both 2025 and 2026. Right behind them in third are last year’s world champions, Kjell Haschen and Iven Anton Fromm (GER 182), who mounted a genuine comeback today by discarding yesterday’s UFD from race two. Switzerland’s Pablo Rüegge also enjoyed a big day, climbing to fourth alongside Finn Meichle. Rüegge previously sailed with Linus and finished fourth at the Junior Worlds in Copenhagen last year, and he is hoping this new partnership with Meichle can go one step further onto the podium. The pair train regularly with senior Swiss teammates Seb Scheinter and Arno De Planta, as well as Josh Richner and Nilo Schärer, and that experience is clearly paying dividends. Canada’s Thomas and William Staples (CAN 428) complete the top five.
The 49erFX fleet followed, and Poland continues to dominate. Klara Sobczak and Magdalena Skórnóg (POL 280) hold the lead, with Ewa Lewandowska and Anna Zwara (POL 771) right behind in second, maintaining the same order as day one. Lewandowska is no ordinary competitor to have on your tail. She was named winner of the Rolex Young World Sailor of the Year award in 2024. Japan’s Manase Ichihashi and Rinko Goto (JPN 717) move into third overall and currently hold the lowest discard of any team in the fleet, a testament to their remarkable consistency.
In the FX Open fleet, the top three remained unchanged from yesterday. Switzerland’s Henri Rothacher and Noah Strempfer (SUI 434) stay out in front, with Samantha Gardner and Noah Nyenhuis of the United States (USA 49) in second and Germany’s Hanno Rix and Maximilian Reuner (GER 171) third.
The Nacra 17 fleet produced the tightest racing of the day, turning into a proper duel between Italian training partners. Federico Figlia di Granara and Caterina Sedmak (ITA 46) lead with a scoreline of nearly all firsts and seconds, barring one blip in yesterday’s racing. Their training partners and closest challengers, Arto Hirsch and Sofia Borgia (ITA 76), are hot on their heels in second, with Switzerland’s Andrea Aschieri and Tine Rossel (SUI 370) third. France’s Clement Martineau and Eloïse Clabon (FRA 44) sit fourth and Spain’s Daniel Garcia and Nora Garcia (ESP 591) fifth. Sixth-placed Lorenzo Sirena and Flavia Maltagliati (ITA 437) have a story all their own today. It is Lorenzo’s birthday, and he happens to be the son of Massimiliano Sirena, the team director and CEO of Luna Rossa’s America’s Cup campaign. Lorenzo and Flavia are a brand-new pairing in the Nacra 17 fleet, and sitting sixth ahead of several crews who have been sailing the boat for years is a seriously strong start for two sailors just finding their feet in the class.
Racing resumes tomorrow at 11:00, with the 49er fleet out first once again for what will also be the final day of their preliminary series. After tomorrow’s three races, the top twenty-five boats advance into the gold fleet, with the remainder continuing in silver for the rest of the week. The other fleets keep racing as a single group all the way through to Sunday. The forecast is calling for noticeably lighter air tomorrow, which could easily shuffle the order at the top.
