Gdynia is fast becoming a spiritual home for the 470 class. The Polish city hosted the Junior European Championship in 2023 and the Senior World Championship last year, and in 2027 it will host the Sailing World Championships, where Olympic qualification for Los Angeles 2028 will be on the line.
This week, 55 teams from 18 countries gather for the 2026 470 Junior World Championship. New Zealand is among the nations represented, alongside Australia, Brazil, Croatia, Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland, Türkiye and Ukraine. Germany leads the entry count with seven crews, Great Britain five, and Poland and Türkiye four apiece.
Registration and equipment measurement run on 11 and 12 July, with the Opening Ceremony on 13 July. Racing begins that same day with the Qualifying Series, the Final Series follows on 15 and 16 July, and the Medal Series and Last Race close out proceedings on 17 July, with live broadcast coverage.
Defending champions Roy Levy and Ariel Gal of Israel are back to protect their title. "We feel the pressure, and we actually feel good," the pair said. "There is a very high level this year; we've seen it throughout the season. We feel good and we're happy to compete in such a strong fleet. For sure, we've had a good start to the season. We've gained some confidence heading into the final part of the year. We love the pressure, we love Gdynia, and we're ready to begin and fight for the victory." They welcomed the fleet size too: "It's great to have so many boats, almost as many as in the senior fleet. I think it's great for the class and also for this championship. We're going to have a lot of boats, some great racing, and it's going to be very exciting."
France's Lomane Valade and Julien Bunel, silver medallists in 2025, are chasing the gold that has twice eluded them. The build-up has not been without difficulty. "This year hasn't been an easy one for us, especially with Lomane's injury. But despite everything, we feel ready to fight!" they said. "After finishing as Junior World Vice Champions two years in a row, this will be our final Junior World Championship, and we want more than anything to bring home the gold medal."
Italy's bronze medallists Livia Ciampinelli and Nicola Brunotti are also in the mix. "We've been preparing for this championship since last year, as it's been our main goal of the season," said Livia. "We arrive feeling confident, motivated, and excited to get back on the racecourse." Nicola added that having the top two crews from 2025 on the startline "gives us even more motivation to challenge ourselves and see how much we've improved."
Several contenders are already racing at senior level with results to back it up. French crew Sarah Jannin and Isaac Benamo finished 14th at the Trofeo Princesa Sofía, while Norway's Julia Jacobsen and Victor Lööf placed 16th at the Senior European Championship. Italy's Emma Maltese and Marcello Miliardi finished 16th at French Olympic Week, with compatriots Lisa Vucetti and Vittorio Bonifacio a place behind in 17th.
