In a groundbreaking performance at the ILCA 4 World Championship, Katrina has secured a bronze medal overall for Malta, marking a historic achievement for Malta. This victory is a significant milestone in Malta’s sailing history, showcasing how a sailor from a small nation can outperform competitors from larger, more established sporting countries. Micallef triumphed in a field of 150 female athletes representing 45 nations.
The women’s podium was dominated by two Dutch athletes, who secured the top two spots, reinforcing their team’s dominance this year. Micallef’s remarkable performance earned her the bronze medal, placing her ahead of the Italian sailors, who finished in fourth place. In previous years, the Italians had multiple achievements at the Worlds and Europeans, making Katrina’s success even more impressive.
The conditions at the championship were particularly challenging, with big Atlantic waves and a cold north breeze of 15-18 knots testing the physical preparation of the athletes. Micallef has shown her strength, having worked hard over the winter to prepare for such demanding conditions. Despite these challenges, she managed to excel in her sailing while also studying for her O level exams. Besides the success of the female athletes, Maltese boys also performed admirably in the highly competitive fleet of 280 entries from 47 nations. Timmy Vassallo, making his debut at the ILCA 4 Worlds, competed in the Gold fleet and finished 39th overall, securing a top 10 position in the U16 category. This is another significant achievement for Malta, showcasing Vassallo’s potential. He is still young, and this experience will help him work his way up, aiming to break his brother Ben’s record of 12th overall in the 2023 ILCA 4 Worlds in Greece. Another newcomer from Malta, who started ILCA 4 very recently, Jonas Micallef finished 189th overall and 50th in the U16 category, showing promise for future competitions.
Katrina’s participation was partly financed and supported by the Maltese Olympic Committee, SportMalta, the Royal Malta Yacht Club and the Malta Sailing Federation
photo credit: Sailcoach / Luiza Passow