The 2026 MUSTO iQFOiL World Championships: The Week So Far
The 2026 MUSTO iQFOiL World Championships are well underway in Weymouth and Portland, with four action-packed days of racing already completed.
From powerful course racing in strong winds to tactical slalom in light and shifting conditions, the world’s leading windsurfers have faced a wide range of challenges across Portland Harbour and Weymouth Bay.
By Emma Maguire
Day One: The Worlds Get Underway
The opening day brought plenty of breeze, fast racing and close battles across both fleets.
In the men’s competition, Luuc van Opzeeland of the Netherlands took the early lead on countback. Paweł Tarnowski of Poland, Nicolas Goyard of France and Yoav Omer of Israel were all level on points just behind him, while Italy’s Nicolò Renna completed the Top Five.
Israel’s Tamar Steinberg ended the first day at the top of the women’s leaderboard following a strong opening performance. Australia’s Stella Bilger sat second, with British sailors Islay Watson and defending World Champion Emma Wilson in third and fourth. Norway’s Maya Gysler completed the Top Five.
With racing taking place against the spectacular backdrop of the Dorset coast, the championships made an impressive start.
Day Two: Strong Winds and Big Moves
Conditions stepped up on day two, with offshore winds of around 19 to 22 knots providing some spectacular racing.
Both fleets completed four course races, with the women competing in Weymouth Bay while the men battled across Portland Harbour.
There was plenty of movement on the men’s leaderboard. Noah Lyons of the United States moved into first place, followed closely by France’s Nicolas Goyard. Luuc van Opzeeland dropped to third, while Yoav Omer held fourth and Olympic champion Tom Reuveny climbed into fifth.
Tamar Steinberg remained comfortably in control of the women’s competition, but the contest behind her tightened. Stella Bilger, Islay Watson, Emma Wilson and Italy’s Medea Falcioni completed the leading group.
One of the most impressive sights of the week saw 70 sailors lining up together on a single start line — a striking demonstration of the scale and quality of the championship fleet.
Day Three: Gold and Silver Fleets Begin
The competition entered its next stage on day three as the sailors were divided into Gold and Silver fleets.
Light and shifting winds created a very different challenge, with slalom racing bringing more changes across both leaderboards. Every result became increasingly important as the battle for places in the Medal Series intensified.
Yoav Omer moved into the lead of the men’s fleet, with Noah Lyons close behind in second. Denmark’s Johan Søe climbed to third, Luuc van Opzeeland occupied fourth and Kiran Badloe of the Netherlands made a significant move into the Top Five.
There was also a milestone for Britain’s Max Beaman, who claimed his first senior championship race win. Duncan Monaghan continued his strong week on home waters.
In the women’s fleet, Tamar Steinberg retained the overall lead, with Stella Bilger holding second. Israel’s Sharon Kantor made a big jump into third, Medea Falcioni moved into fourth and Britain’s Islay Watson rounded out the Top Five.
With the qualification stages progressing, the pressure is building and the battle for the Medal Series is now well and truly on.
Day Four: The standings so far
Day 4 standings at the MUSTO iQFOiL World Championships
Noah Lyons takes over the lead in the men’s fleet, with Johan Søe moving into second and Nico Goyard making a big jump into third. Luuc van Opzeeland holds fourth, while Yoav Omer completes the top five.
In the women’s fleet, Tamar Steinberg remains out in front. Sharon Kantor and Medea move up the standings, Veerle ten Have climbs into the top five, and STELLA remains among the front-runners.
There is still plenty to play for, with one more day of Final Series racing to go!
More Still to Come
The championships have already delivered strong winds, tactical racing, changing leaders and impressive British performances — but there is still plenty more to come.
Supporters can follow the racing through the live broadcasts as the sailors fight for the all-important Medal Series places and the chance to become world champions.
Those nearby can also experience the action in person. The Fan Zone opens at Weymouth Pavilion on Saturday, with plenty happening on shore while the racing continues just off the coast.
Weymouth and Portland have once again provided a world-class stage for international windsurfing. With the decisive races still ahead, the championship titles remain firmly up for grabs.
Day 5 is here – and this is where it gets serious!
It’s the penultimate day of the MUSTO 2026 iQFOiL World Championships in Weymouth and Portland, and the riders have one final chance to secure their places in Saturday’s Medal Series.
🎥 Tune in live from 1pm today and follow the battle for those all-important final spots:
📸 @sailingenergy / Celia Valeur
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