Championship leaders in the female skiff class at the halfway stage of the competition, Ireland's Clementine Van Steenberge and Jessica Riordan finished fifth overall as the Youth Sailing World Championships concluded on Lake Garda, Italy, on Friday evening.
It was Ireland's top result in the four classes contested.
The Dun Laoghaire 29er duo got off to a perfect start at the famous Ora katabatic wind venue and took the lead on Wednesday but a confusing light wind day on Thursday dropped them to seventh before they recovered to fifth on the the final day.
Poland enjoyed a fruitful week in the men’s/mixed and women’s skiff as both crews claimed the 29er titles.
Alicja Dampc and Alicja Tutowska soared to pick up the women’s skiff trophy, 27 points ahead of Una Heinilä and Silja-Sophie Laukkanen of Finland and the USA’s Annie Sitzmann and Molly Bonham who took silver and bronze.
Pearse and Daly 26th in mixed/boys skiff
Cork's Oisín Pierse and Fionn Daly finished 26th from 29 in the boys/mixed 29er skiff class. They counted two top-five results early in the series.
Cork's Oisín Pierse and Fionn Daly competing in the male/mixed 29er class at the World Youth Sailing Championships on Lake Garda, Italy Photo: Martina Orsini
Ewa Lewandowska and Krzysztof Królik’s event went down to the wire with the pair dramatically sealing victory in the final race of the week.
They trailed Great Britain’s Finian Morris and Charlie Gran by two points going into the last race but only had eyes for the title in the final race and finished second.
Lewandowska now has two youth world titles to her name after winning the women’s skiff in Brazil last year.
“It feels amazing, wonderful,” Lewandowska said. “We couldn’t be happier that we’ve won the World Championships."
“It was tough racing with the guys, everyone is so good, it was very interesting before the last race and even the last was so crazy.”
Lucy Ives 11th
Carlingford's Lucy Ives finished 11th with a race win in race six a highlight for Ireland in the girl's ILCA 6 division.
Carlingford's Lucy Ives competing in the female ILCA6 class at the World Youth Sailing Championships on Lake Garda, Italy Photo: Simon Palfrader
Maria Vittoria Arseni held her own against Greece’s Hermionie Ghicas as the USA’s Isabella Mendoza Cabezas claimed third upon protest.
Italy’s own Arseni tallied a winning 33-point total, 13 points clear of Ghicas in the silver medal position.
Driscoll finishes 33rd in ILCA 6
In the boy's ILCA 6 dinghy, Belfast Lough's Bobby Driscoll finished 33rd in his 62-boat fleet.
In the male ILCA 6 dinghy, Belfast Lough's Bobby Driscoll competes at the World Youth Sailing Championships on Lake Garda, Italy Photo: Simon Palfrader
Antonio Pascali was the victor following an impressive spell, holding off stiff competition from the Netherlands’ Hidde Schraffordt to take the trophy by 13 points.
Weka Bhanubandh sealed a bronze medal for Thailand at the Championships as a final-day bullet saw him climb up the standings.
All results of 2024 Youth Sailing World Championships can be found here.
