Perfect start in Nishinomiya!
The major annual Open Skiff event is taking place this year in Nishinomiya, Japan, from July 18th to 23rd for a World Championship bringing together 93 of the best young rider from around the world. A warm welcome, a very strong opening ceremony and perfect weather conditions promise to be an excellent year!
The history of the O’pen Skiff is closely linked to Japan, as for many years, the national team has participated in major international events, most often held in Europe, far away. The center of the world is therefore moving eastward to be closer to Japan and also to the Far Eastern teams, which are more numerous than usual: New Zealand, Australia, India, and Thailand. Also noteworthy is a strong American delegation and a Canadian competitor. Three European teams made the long trip: Italy, France, and Poland. 93 racers (60 U17 and 33 U13) from 10 countries are present in Nishinomiya, which is a good result considering the distance from Europe.
After several days of preparation, the event was officially launched during a beautiful opening ceremony that began with the traditional procession accompanied by a local brass band, followed by a short religious celebration in a magnificent temple. It was a very emotional experience that will remain etched in the memories of all the young riders. They also loved the young dancers who came to perform after the official speeches.
The gods seem to be with the O’pen Skiff as after the rain, the good and very hot weather and the associated thermal breeze provided the racers with the best possible conditions for this first day of racing. The wind gradually increased to 15-18 knots, and three races were completed for the U17, who were eager for more! For the U15, given the stronger wind and heavy sea conditions, the committee decided to limit the day to two races.
In the U17 category, the racers from this part of the world set the pace from the start. Australian Kayson Puls took the lead with two first-place finishes. He was followed by American Lucas Doran, New Zealander Valentina Gladiadis, and Australian Billie McCracken. The first European, Riccardo Dati, was Italian.
In the U13 category, Polish Aleksander Grygołowicz won, ahead of Japanese Koa Marsden and then Polish Franciszek. The results were much closer than in the U17 category, and no clear leader emerged in the younger category.
The second day, which promises to be very interesting with the same wind conditions. The riders are beginning to get to know the highly technical conditions of the bay better and managing the challenging chop and strong current. Good luck to them!
Videos
Opening ceremony: https://worlds2025.openskiffclass.org/gallery/videos#2
Day 1 racing: https://worlds2025.openskiffclass.org/gallery/videos#1
Photos
Opening ceremony: https://worlds2025.openskiffclass.org/gallery/opening-ceremony
Day 1 racing : https://worlds2025.openskiffclass.org/gallery/day-1
Event website
https://worlds2025.openskiffclass.org/
