U21 World Championship Ilca 7: Golden start on course for the Olympics - Ole Schweckendiek is U21 World Champion
Tatjana Pokorny
· 30.08.2025
Ole Schweckendiek is already part of the training group of the best German Ilca 7 coxswains. He trains with Philipp Buhl and other strong Ilca players. However, the young man from Kiel wanted to make the most of his last chance to win a major title in the international junior field this year, so he also passed up the opportunity to take part in the Senior European Championships in order to prepare in good time and in a focussed manner in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland. The focussed effort paid off!
Ole Schweckendiek: with a 10-point lead to gold
With a lead of ten points, 20-year-old Ole Schweckendiek from Kiel, a member of the German Sailing Team's junior squad, secured the world championship title in the Olympic Ilca 7. In the bay of Dun Laoghaire, he prevailed against 140 international competitors at the U21 World Championship. After the double success in the U19 and U21 classification in 2022 and the World Championship title in the U19 class in 2023, this is already the fourth international title for the helmsman from the Kieler Yacht-Club.
The final day demanded everything from him once again, as Ole Schweckendiek reported: "The day was exhausting. Firstly, a postponed start cost me nerves, then my two toughest competitors had an early start. I wasn't able to take full advantage of that and even capsized on the downwind course." In the penultimate race, he only reached the finish line in nineteenth place.
"The last race had to be the decider. I fought hard against my sailing friend Isaac Schotte from Australia. In the end I came fifteenth, not a top result, but it was enough for the title." Isaac Schotte from won World Championship silver. Athanasios Kyfidis from Greece won bronze. Click here for the results.
World champion with maturity and tactical expertise
"That was a good series, the training paid off. I can be proud of myself," said the two-time U21 world champion, taking stock. For Ole Schweckendiek, his latest and last World Championship gold in the juniors marks the crowning glory of this successful career chapter in the Olympic Ilca 7. From 2026, he will only compete in the senior classification.
"I am very happy for Ole. The way he competed in the championship shows a maturity and tactical understanding far beyond his age," said Dom Tidey, Head Coach of the German Sailing Team. "Winning at this level in such a strong fleet is a clear sign that we have another real medal contender in our system."
In addition to Ole Schweckendiek, twelve other German sailors took part in the Ilca 6 and Ilca 7 at the U21 World Championship in Ireland. Click here for the World Championship results. The U21 World Champion was Roos Wind from the Netherlands, ahead of Emma Mattivi (Italy) and Frances Beebe (Australia).
