Defending ILCA 7 World Champion Willem Wiersema says Dublin Bay's shifting breeze and pressure differences are set to make for “tricky racing” when the 141-boat World Championship fleet begins racing off Dun Laoghaire on Tuesday.
The Dutch champion has already spent a week training on the championship waters and says sailors will need to keep their eyes out and be at their best as the six-day series unfolds.
“We’ve trained there for a week with some offshore winds. It was pretty shifty, with a lot of pressure differences, so it’s made for tricky racing for sure,” Wiersema said.
“You’ve got to keep your eyes out and be at your best.”
The assessment from the defending champion comes as 141 sailors from 45 countries complete registration and equipment inspection at the National Yacht Club and Royal St George Yacht Club ahead of the opening races on Tuesday.
Tight Gaps in 141-Boat Fleet
Wiersema, who arrives in Dun Laoghaire to defend his world crown, expects the combination of Dublin Bay conditions and the depth of the international fleet to leave little room for mistakes.
“It’s fierce competition. You need to nail everything to make a result stick,” he said.
“It’s both a physical and a tactical game, with a lot of boats and tight gaps.”
Among his principal rivals is Australia's double Olympic champion Matt Wearn, who arrives in Dublin Bay after an unbeaten run in his major events this season.
The fleet also includes reigning European Champion Pavlos Kontides of Cyprus, South American Champion Francisco Guaragna of Argentina and North American Champion Daniel Escudero of the United States.
Ireland's challenge includes Finn Lynch and Ewan McMahon.
Rigging Up – Final preparations on Carlisle Pier in Dun Laoghaire as competitors rig their supplied ILCA 7s ahead of the 2026 Men's World Championship. Photo: Jordan Roberts
Buhl Identifies Wearn as Benchmark
Germany's Philipp Buhl believes Wearn remains the sailor everyone else has to beat, while identifying Britain's Micky Beckett and Elliot Hanson and Cyprus's Kontides among the other leading contenders.
“I think it’s pretty obvious that Matt Wearn is number one, and maybe Micky Beckett and Elliot Hanson are number two and three at the moment, with Pavlos right in the mix,” Buhl said.
Buhl also highlighted the one-design nature of the championship, with every competitor receiving a new, identical boat.
“The thing is, in this class — being a one-design class with this amazing setup we have again this year at the World Championships, where every competitor gets a brand-new, identical boat — it’s so simple and so amazing.”
“Everybody is on exactly the same equipment, which means even Matt Wearn, having won every event he’s competed in this year, still needs to show up and deliver in every single race, over the whole six days.”
Measurement Matters – Equipment inspection and measurement underway on Carlisle Pier as the 141-strong ILCA 7 World Championship fleet completes its pre-racing formalities. Photo: Jordan Roberts
Dublin Bay's First Olympic-Class Worlds
The championship is the first Olympic-class World Championship to be staged on Dublin Bay, with the National Yacht Club and Royal St George Yacht Club combining to host the event.
Organising Committee chairman and Event Director Con Murphy said bringing the championship to Dun Laoghaire was the culmination of a 15-year ambition.
“I’d like to welcome all the competitors and coaches. This is the first time we’ve ever had an Olympic-class World Championship here on Dublin Bay, so it’s a big deal for us,” Murphy said.
“We’re absolutely thrilled that we got it, and everybody in the clubs is really behind it.”
Murphy said the bid to stage a World Championship in Dun Laoghaire began 15 years ago.
“I started bidding for a World Championship 15 years ago, and we finally got it. We’ve been working very hard over the last year to have everything ready. The place is looking super — it’s all branded up.”
He also highlighted the proximity of Dublin Bay's racing areas and Dun Laoghaire's long sailing tradition as strengths of the venue.
“Dublin Bay is a superb place to sail — the waters are close by, so there’s no long sail out, and we generally get good weather and good conditions.”
Check Point – Boats and equipment pass through the inspection area on Carlisle Pier ahead of Tuesday's opening races in the ILCA 7 Men's World Championship. Photo: Jordan Roberts
Racing runs from Tuesday, August 25 to Sunday, August 30. See live Dublin Bay webcams here
