RMYC Youth Sailors Perform strongly at the 2025 Malta Dinghy National Championships
The Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC) Youth Team was out in force at the 2025 Malta Dinghy Nationals, held from 1–3 November and hosted by the Malta Young Sailors Club (MYSC). With a healthy turnout of sailors across all classes, the event continued to demonstrate the steady growth and depth of Malta’s dinghy sailing scene.
Across three days of racing, sailors experienced a full spectrum of conditions, testing both technical ability and tactical awareness.
Day 1 saw a light north-easterly breeze of 5–7 knots opposite the National Aquarium race area. A small swell and reflective chop created challenging boat handling conditions, allowing the Race Committee to complete two of the three scheduled races.
Day 2 brought similar conditions, with light morning airs dropping during the second race before building to a steadier 8–10 knots for the final race of the day. All scheduled races were completed in shifting but manageable conditions.
On Day 3, racing moved to Mellieħa Bay where a stable north-westerly wind between 12–16 knots offered a more dynamic final stage to the event. Three races were held before an unstable cloud system caused rapidly fluctuating wind angles, prompting the Race Committee to cancel the final race for safety and fairness.
Katrina Micallef dominated the ILCA 6 Class, taking the lead from the first day. In spite of being challenged on the water by Timmy Vassallo, Micallef retained her composure to win the overall class ahead of Vassallo. Joining Micallef on the podium was teammate Kaine Muscat, who finished in third place.
Despite an inauspicious start in the ILCA 7 Class, Matthew Flores took the lead on the second day of racing and produced steady results ahead of MYSC’s Benjamin Vassallo and Matthew Cachia Debono, who finished in second and third place respectively.
The ILCA 4 Class saw Jacob Carl Delia fight for a podium place, finishing 3rd overall, whilst Philippa Bartolo Parnis—fresh from completing her third Rolex Middle Sea Race—finished in third place on the female podium.
In the Optimist Classes, Polina Chaplytska finished in second place in the Optimist Open Girls Class, whilst Jaime Escuardo Rodriguez finished in third place in the Optimist Cadet Class. Meanwhile, in the Optimist Beginner Girls Class, Ema Wood completed the podium.
The National Championships also benefitted from a welcome international dimension, thanks to the SailCoach training base at the Royal Malta Yacht Club, which resulted in the fleet featuring visiting sailors from the USA, Hong Kong, Great Britain, Sri Lanka, Poland, and Lithuania. Their participation added valuable depth and raised the overall level of competition.
RMYC Commodore Mark Napier, praised the team’s efforts, stating that “It was great to see such a strong turnout from our youth team. Their performance reflects both dedication on the water and the values we nurture as a Club.”
Notably Poyraz Fidanboy (ILCA 6) and Matthew Flores (ILCA 7), were awarded Overall Winners of the National Ranking Series.
RMYC Sailing School Head Coach Ruya Cakmakli added that. “The RMYC Sailing School’s sailors have shown maturity, teamwork, and commitment, proving that our investment in long-term development is paying off.”
The Royal Malta Yacht Club would like to thank the Malta Young Sailors Club, the Race Committee, volunteers, coaches, and parents for their hard work and ongoing support.
2025 National Championships RMYC Roll of Honour:
ILCA7
1st Place: Matthew Flores
ILCA6
1st Place: Katrina Micallef
3rd Place: Kaine Muscat
ILCA6 Girls
1st Place: Katrina Micallef
ILC4
3rd Place: Jacob Delia
ILCA4 Girls
3rd Place: Philippa Bartolo Parnis
Optimist Open Girls
2nd Place: Polina Chaplytska
Optimist Cadet
3rd Place: Jaime Escuardo Rodriguez
Optimist Beginners Girls
3rd Place: Ema wood
Photo Credits: MYSC / Paul Ellul, Edward Flores, Rachel Ferry