Patience was the order of the day in Kaštela as competitors and officials alike kept a close eye on an uncooperative sky. Gusty, shifty and patchy wind conditions, ranging from 3 to 17 knots, made it impossible to set a fair course for any of the three competing fleets on the opening day of the 2026 ILCA Senior European Championships & Open European Trophy.
The day began with a postponement on shore as the Race Committee monitored the unstable conditions. With the forecast offering a potential window of improvement, all three fleets — ILCA 7, ILCA 6 Women and ILCA 6 Men — were eventually sent out to the race area at approximately 11:00.
Once on the water, conditions remained unpredictable. The wind continued to oscillate in both strength and direction, making it impossible to run fair races. After a few start attempts across the fleets, the Race Committee recalled all three fleets to the Marina at approximately 14:30 with no races completed. Back on shore, sailors were welcomed with a warm plate of pasta to round off the day.
The event continues tomorrow with 3 scheduled races across the fleets, with the first warning signal set for 13:00.
The 2026 ILCA Senior European Championships & Open European Trophy is organised by EurILCA and JK Marina Kaštela, with the sponsorship of Marina Kaštela and BavAdria Yacht Charter, and the support of the Ministry of Sport, Croatian Sailing Federation, the City of Kaštela, the Tourist Board of Kaštela, and the Croatian Olympic Committee.
Stay tuned for more updates throughout the championship, and follow all the latest news on the official event website, as well as on EurILCA’s social media channels.
For a full overview of the key sailors and performances to follow in Kaštela, you can also read our event preview here: eurilca.org/2026-ilca-senior-europeans-preview
How to Follow the Championship
As the championship continues, we encourage sailors, coaches, and fans to stay connected through our official channels for the latest updates, race highlights, and behind-the-scenes content:
- Follow EurILCA on Instagram
- Join the EurILCA Updates channel on Instagram for instant notifications
- Follow EurILCA on Facebook
- Follow EurILCA in TikTok
- Subscribe to EurILCA’s Newsletter to receive the latest news by email
- Subscribe to the EurILCA YouTube channel
- View and download photos from the event on our official gallery
- Follow the Gold fleets racing live through the tracking
You can also follow our Sustainability Programme for sustainability-focused initiatives and updates:
- Follow the EurILCA Sustainability Programme on Instagram
- Follow the EurILCA Sustainability Programme on Facebook
Make sure to follow along and stay up to date with all the action from Kaštela!
Report by Agustín Argüelles – EurILCA | Photos by Thom Touw.
