Youth World Championship

Team Canada Takes Gold at the 2026 Youth World Championships!

That's a wrap on four days of racing on Lake Tuusula, Finland! Sixteen teams from eight countries battled shifty winds and inconsistent breeze to close out the 2026 Youth World Championships, and Team Canada brought it home.

Sailing out of Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, Rory Walsh sailed with Andre and Gustave Deseau to take the win with 14 points. Huge congrats to the whole team! Fantastic sailing by all competitors, and thank you to our hosts!!!

"Rory Walsh (RVanYC) and Andre and Gustave Deseau (WYVC) just wrapped up a week of racing on Lake Tuusula in Finland for the Lightning Youth World Championship. After four days of close and intense racing, the team won the event with a solid last day. This is the first time a British Columbia Canadian team has won the event, and Canada hasn't won the event since 2012. The Youth World Champions are bringing the trophy home to live at Royal Vancouver for the next two years!

The racing on the small lake of Tuusula proved to be challenging. Conditions changed from day to day, demanding a sharp mind and eyes. The first day was the most consistent, letting boats from either side of the upwind come out at the top, creating tight fleets on the downwind legs with lots of passing lanes. Winds ranging from 10-15 knots let the race committee get three races in on the first day. For the rest of the regatta, the wind was very geographical but changed direction every day. The boys played the shifts well, learning the venue fast and working their way through the fleet.

A massive thanks from the team goes to the Finnish Lightning Class for organizing and hosting an amazingly well-run event, to the Lightning Class for welcoming us into the community, and to Luke, Michael, and Matt back home for getting us started in the Lightning Class. There was so much support in getting the team started in the class." - Guastave & Team

Youth Worlds Photos Lightning Youth Worlds 2026 Results

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