Three Days of Youth Racing, Wind and Spectacular Action in Maubuisson

Hobie Dragoon & HC16 Youth – Three unforgettable racing days at the Hobie Multi-Europeans 2026

Maubuisson, France | 22–24 August 2026

Three days of youth sailing, three very different challenges, and two deserving European Champion teams crowned at the end.

From 22 to 24 August, the international Hobie youth community gathered on the beautiful Lac de Carcans-Hourtin in Maubuisson, France, for the Hobie Multi-Europeans 2026. The Hobie Dragoon and Hobie Cat 16 Youth fleets opened the championship with three exciting days of racing before the HC16 Open fleet began their title battles.

What made these championships truly special was the incredible variety of weather conditions. Maubuisson showed every side of its character: shifting breeze and tactical racing on the opening day, increasing winds on day two, and a dramatic finale with gusts reaching 30 knots on the final day.

Day 1 – A Tactical Start to the Championship

The opening day welcomed the young sailors with lighter and constantly changing conditions.

Rather than pure speed, success depended on reading the lake, spotting pressure on the water and reacting quickly to wind shifts. Every race required patience, smart tactical decisions and excellent teamwork between helm and crew.

As the day progressed, the international fleet proved just how competitive this year’s championship would be. Several teams immediately established themselves as contenders, while others stayed close enough to keep the overall standings wide open.

The message was clear from the very first races: consistency would be the key to winning in Maubuisson.

Day 2 – The Pressure Builds

The second day brought a completely different challenge.

The wind steadily increased, transforming the racing into a faster and much more physical contest. Stronger gusts demanded clean manoeuvres, precise trimming and excellent communication onboard.

The Hobie Dragoon crews had to balance speed with control, while the HC16 Youth sailors pushed their boats harder as the breeze continued to build.

At the same time, the lake remained tactically demanding. Wind shifts across the race course meant that every leg could completely change the positions within the fleet. So the Hobie Dragoon made 3 races and the HC16 Youth 4 races with this conditions. The HC16 Open did their first day of qualification.

After two days of racing, nothing had been decided yet.

Day 3 – A Spectacular Grand Finale

The final race day delivered the toughest conditions of the championship.

The strong wind trend continued, with gusts reaching up to 30 knots across the race course. Although racing started early, the challenging conditions allowed the Race Committee to complete only two races in each youth class.

It was an unforgettable finale.

Powerful gusts, exciting downwind rides and numerous capsizes created spectacular racing from start to finish. The young sailors had to dig deep, showing impressive boat handling, determination and resilience in extremely demanding conditions.

These were races where staying upright was often just as important as sailing fast.

After 9 races in the Hobie Dragoon and 10 races in the HC16 Youth, the final podiums were decided.

Hobie Dragoon – Belgium Takes the Title

After nine races, the Hobie Dragoon championship belonged to Belgium.

🥇 De Fuijk / Adriaenssens (BEL)

🥈 Corthals / Mertens (BEL)

🥉 Casimirri / Leo (ITA)

Belgium claimed the top two positions on the podium after an outstanding and consistent performance throughout the series.

Best Women’s Team

A special congratulations goes to Casimirri / Leo (ITA), who not only finished third overall but also earned the title of Best Women’s Team.

Youngest Team of the Fleet

One of the most inspiring stories of the championship came from the youngest sailors on the water.

Travelling all the way from Jersey, the youngest team in the fleet competed against much older and more experienced crews.

At just 10 and 11 years old, they showed remarkable determination, courage and sailing skills throughout the event. Completing races in the demanding conditions of the final day was an incredible achievement and a wonderful example of the future of Hobie sailing.

 

HC16 Youth – Italy Wins European Gold

The HC16 Youth championship remained incredibly close until the very last races.

After ten races, the final results were:

🥇 Tomassi / Masi (ITA)

🥈 Boukrouh / Kerfourn (FRA)

🥉 Truglia / Pozzi (ITA)

Italy celebrated the European title after a consistently strong performance across all three racing days for the second time in a row.

France secured second place on home waters, while Italy added another podium finish with third place.

The results highlighted the strength and depth of this year’s youth fleet.

Three Days That Tested Every Skill

The youth championship in Maubuisson perfectly demonstrated why the venue is one of the most exciting sailing locations in Europe.

Within three days, sailors had to adapt to constantly evolving conditions. Tactical decision-making dominated the opening races, increasing breeze demanded greater physical effort on day two, and the championship concluded in survival-style racing with gusts of up to 30 knots.

The combination of tactical sailing, speed, teamwork and resilience made these three days a memorable start to the Hobie Multi-Europeans 2026.

 

HC16 Open Qualification – The Battle for Gold Fleet Begins

While the youth fleets completed their championship, the HC16 Open sailors were fighting for something equally important: a place in the prestigious Gold Fleet.

After six qualification races, the qualification series came to an end, determining the split between the Gold Fleet and Silver Fleet for the remainder of the European Championship.

From now on, the race for the 2026 Hobie Multi European title truly begins.

The complete qualification results, including the Gold and Silver Fleet cut, are available in the official results.

The Legendary Hobie Cut Party

After three intense days on the water, it was time to celebrate.

Sailors from all fleets gathered for the famous Hobie Cut Party, where the youth prize-giving took place alongside the official announcement of the HC16 Gold and Silver Fleet split.

It was a perfect Hobie evening — celebrating victories, sharing stories from the water and enjoying the unique atmosphere that makes Hobie events so special.

The Championship Continues

With the Youth Championships completed and the HC16 Open qualification finished, the spotlight now turns to the HC14 and HC16 Open Gold Fleet racing.

After an opening week full of spectacular sailing and ever-changing conditions, Maubuisson has already delivered everything the Hobie spirit is about: speed, teamwork, challenge and unforgettable moments on the water.

Stay tuned for more racing, results and highlights from the Hobie Multi-Europeans 2026 in Maubuisson!

📸 Photos: Follow all the latest pictures on the EHCA Flickr account.

📊 Results: Official results include the complete HC16 Open Gold and Silver Fleet qualification split. RESULTS