The competition will be held December 15-19 in Vilamoura, Portugal
Kingston, November 4, 2025 – Sail Canada is proud to announce the 14-member team that is set to represent the country at the 2025 Youth Sailing World Championships to be held December 15-19 in Vilamoura, Portugal.
The 2025 Canadian Youth Sailing World Championship squad includes Canadian Sailing Team member Valentino Blewett, who took the 4th position at the 2025 iQFoil Youth & Junior European Championships in the Men’s U19 category. He is joined by Nathan Pearce, a Formula Kite racer, who will bring experience to the team at his fourth consecutive Youth Sailing World Championships, aiming to improve on last year’s 10th-place finish. The team also features a wave of new talent, with all the other members making their Youth Sailing World Championship debut, including brothers Will and Jack Keilty, who will sail together in Male/Mixed International 420.
Sail Canada’s Olympic Development Coordinator Kyle Martin from Vancouver, B.C., will serve as Team Leader. He will be supported by coaches Kevin Black (Vancouver, B.C.), Gavin Pearce (Vancouver, B.C.), Violet Stafford (Toronto, ON) and Audrey Staples (Montreal, QC).
Athletes earned their spots on the team based on performance criteria outlined in Sail Canada’s “Athlete Selection System and Requirements – World Sailing Youth World Championships 2025” document, available on the Sail Canada website.
The Youth Sailing World Championships are an important stepping stone for U19 sailors as they progress towards the Canadian Sailing Team. The event has been held annually since 1971 except for the 2020 edition, which was cancelled because of the pandemic. Among the many sailors who have competed in past editions of the Youth Sailing World Championships: Paris 2024 Olympian Georgia Lewin-LaFrance, who came up with a 6th-place finish at the 2017 edition, Tokyo 2020 Olympian Ali ten Hove, who competed in 2012 and 2013, and Luke Ramsay, who won the ILCA 6 competition in 2006 and went on to represent Canada at the Olympics in 2012 and 2016. Current Canadian Sailing Team members Ryan Anderson, Annie Balasubramanian and Clara Gravely have also taken part in the event.
Canadian team members for the 2025 Youth Sailing World Championships
ILCA 6 (W)
Maya Wolf (Port Moody, B.C.-WVYC)
ILCA 6 (M)
Andre Deseau (North Vancouver, B.C.-WVYC)
29er (W)
Freida Smith (Halifax, N.S.-RNSYS)
Laura Eisenhauer (Halifax, N.S.-Lunenburg YC/RNSYS)
29er (M/Mixed)
Averi Kuo (Victoria, B.C./RVicYC)
Theo Stolth (Sooke, B.C./RVicYC)
i420 (W)
Victoria Carroll (Halifax, N.S.-RNSYS)
Lorelai Freeman (Lunenburg, N.S.-Lunenburg YC/RNSYS)
i420 (M/Mixed)
Will Keilty (Kingston, ON-RNSYS)
Jack Keilty (Kingston, ON-RNSYS)
iQFoil (M)
Valentino Blewett (Whistler, B.C.-Whistler Sailing)
Kiteboarding (M)
Nathan Pearce (North Vancouver, B.C.-RVYC)
Nacra 15
Alvin Wang (Markham, ON-RVYC)
Kate McCarthy (Nanaimo, B.C.-Sarasota Youth Sailing)
More information can be found on Sail Canada’s website at www.sailing.ca.
About Sail Canada
Established in 1931, Sail Canada is the national governing body for the sport of sailing in the country. Sail Canada is a leading international sailing nation, proud of its world class athletes, lifelong participants and inclusive culture. The organization and its members are committed to excellence by developing and training its leaders, athletes, sailors, instructors, coaches and officials. With the valued support from our partners, the Provincial Sailing Associations and our member clubs, schools, organizations and stakeholders, sailing is promoted in all its forms. By setting standards and delivering programs from home pond to podium for Canadians of all ages and abilities, from dinghies to keelboats, cruising to navigation, windsurfing to powerboating and accessible sailing, Sail Canada sets sail for all, sail to win and sail for life.
A sport in the Olympic program since the first Games in 1896, except in 1904, the pursuit of success in these Games is what fuels the focus of Sail Canada as Canadian athletes have so far achieved nine Olympic and five Paralympic medals.
