Taking on the World in Aarhus

By Harry Hogan, Australian ILCA 4 team

For the 11 of us who travelled from Australia, arriving in Aarhus for the 2026 ILCA 4 Youth World Championships was pretty surreal. After all the training and preparation, we were finally there, about to represent Australia and our clubs on the world stage.

The scale of the event hit us pretty quickly. Around 450 sailors from 51 countries had travelled to Denmark, and the boat park was packed with teams from all around the world. Starting with 75 boats on the line, surrounded by sailors shouting in different languages, was one of those moments when you really realised you were at a World Championship. There were some pretty serious sailors there, and the level of skill and technical knowledge across the fleet was something that really stood out.

The venue in Aarhus was huge, with plenty of space for all the boats and teams and an easy ramp for launching. The city itself was beautiful, with high-rises overlooking the bay and some really interesting architecture. After racing, most of us would end up at the local food hall, Nicolinehus. We also got around Aarhus by bike, which was a great way to see the city.

The racing gave us just about every condition possible.

We started with medium winds and swell and got two races away quickly on the first day. Day 2 was completely different. It started with very light winds, but big squalls later came through, bringing winds of around 25 knots and some pretty challenging and physical racing.

Day 3 was even more extreme. With winds around 30 knots and gusts reportedly reaching 37, we were kept ashore all day before racing was eventually called off. It was exhausting in its own way. We spent the whole day waiting, watching the conditions and wondering if we were going to get out there.

The rest of the regatta was just as unpredictable. There was plenty of breeze for the final qualifying races before the finals brought light, offshore and shifty conditions. The final day was another long one, with light winds, chop and plenty of general recalls. You had to be able to adapt to whatever the day threw at you.

For many of us, that was one of the biggest lessons from the Worlds. You couldn't just be good in one type of condition. Sebastian Behrens also found the constantly shifting conditions a challenge at his first international regatta, but was pleased to see his improvement as the event went on.

“The regatta was predominantly shifty, so initially I failed to adjust my tactics, but I was happy that I could improve on this.”

Addison Greenwood said competing against experienced sailors from around the world showed her what she needed to work on when she got home.

“You have to be able to be consistent in any breeze, not just either light or windy. It's all conditions.”

Monte Morse also found the conditions to be a big part of the experience. His personal highlight was finishing fourth in one race.

“The shifty and weird conditions in Aarhus were a great learning experience, and I really enjoyed being part of the Australian team and sailing with people from all around the world.”

For me, one of the biggest highlights was qualifying for Gold Fleet and getting the chance to race against the best of the best. It was exciting knowing that all the training, both on and off the water, had paid off. Finishing 52nd overall from 298 boys was close to the goal I had set for myself and gave me confidence that I could compete at that level.

But the results were only one part of the experience.

The Australian team spent a lot of time together throughout the event. Our boats were together in the boat park, and we would rig together, do warm ups, debrief after racing and go to team dinners. The team became really close, and sharing the experience with the other sailors and our coaching group was probably the thing that made the Worlds most memorable.

As Addison put it:

“It was like one big family. We were all so inclusive and it was such a great team.”

There were also plenty of opportunities to meet sailors from other countries. Despite everyone being serious and focused before racing, once we got off the water people relaxed, talked about the day and got to know each other. Friendships were made with sailors from all over the world, and that's something we will take away from the event as well.

Australia had some great results across both fleets. Ruby Carter led the Australian girls with an outstanding 15th overall from 150 sailors. Olivia Aitken finished 56th and Evie McGuire 65th, while Mila Gan finished 98th in Silver Fleet, Harper Spacey 100th and Addison Greenwood 136th.

In the boys' fleet, we also had some strong results. Murray Duthie finished 82nd, Sebastian Behrens 115th, Kaison Puls 136th and Monte Morse 161st.

For all of us, the Worlds was much more than just six days of racing. It was a chance for us to test ourselves against some of the best young sailors in the world, learn from difficult and constantly changing conditions, and experience what international sailing is really like.

One of the biggest things I took away from the event was that hard work pays off, but you also have to enjoy the experience while you're there.

A World Championship is something you spend a long time preparing for, but once it starts, it goes by pretty quickly. My advice to any other young sailor hoping to compete at one would be simple: enjoy the moment, don't get too caught up in the results, and make the most of the people and experiences around you.

For the Australian ILCA 4 team, Aarhus was an adventurous, fulfilling and unforgettable experience, and one we'll all take a lot away from.

Words: Harry Hogan, Australian ILCA 4 team