MEDEMBLIK, NETHERLANDS, July 21, 2026
The 2026 Junior World Championship officially got underway in Medemblik today, with practice races on the water this afternoon and an opening ceremony this evening that closed with a traditional Dutch cannon blast to send the fleet into race week.
Sailors ran through practice races across all four classes starting in the early afternoon, giving teams one last look at the racecourse before qualification begins tomorrow.
The evening turned into a proper welcome, with drinks and snacks for sailors, coaches and families at the opening ceremony, before that cannon fired to officially open the championship.
On the water the fleet is looking sharp, a solid mix of familiar faces and newer teams still finding their feet in Medemblik’s short, choppy conditions.
Tomorrow brings the strongest breeze of the week, forecast to stay just under 20 knots, with conditions expected to ease off a little as the regatta goes on.
Racing opens with 49erFX Open and Nacra 17 around 11:00, 49erFX close behind at 11:05, and the 49er fleet splitting into yellow and blue groups from 13:00.
Full daily schedules, updated with race times each day, are posted here: https://49er.org/events/2026- junior-world-championship/#schedule
Photos start rolling out tomorrow and will be available here: https://49er-fx-nacra17.smugmug.com/Photos/2026/2026-Junior-World-Championship/
with video coverage following on 23, 24, 25 and 26 July.
