Poland, Spain to host sailing world

World Sailing has selected the cities of Valencia in Spain and Gdynia in Poland to host the 2026-27 World Sailing Championships as the event moves to a split format for the first time. Valencia will stage the one-person events while Gdynia will be the host venue for the two-person events.

The championships for the Olympic classes will serve as the first qualifier for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. In addition, both venues will stage Para Inclusive sailing events furthering World Sailing’s commitment to Para Inclusive sailing following the incorporation of Para events in the quadrennial event for the first time in 2023.

Valencia, on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, will host in the summer of 2026. It is known as a year-round training destination and the Real Club Náutico Valencia (RCNV) has a long history of hosting major international competitions, including the 32nd and 33rd America’s Cup, world championships in 29er, Swan, Snipe, Formula 40, and 420 classes.

The RCNV, which has been promoting sailing activities since 1903, holds an Olympic Week every year as well as two of the biggest international sailing events in Spain, the Trofeo de SM La Reina cruising sailing competition, and Optiorange, which brings together 550 small Optimist sailors from 30 different countries. The club aspires to become the world’s first fixed regatta base for dinghy sailing and to support the growth of the sport in the city ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Based out of Marina Gdynia, the city will host in the summer of 2027 as the culmination of its centenary celebrations as ‘Poland’s window to the world.’ Standing on the northern coast of Poland, Gdynia is a port city with a rich maritime history and a growing reputation as a sailing destination.

Together, Gdynia and the Polish Yachting Association have been developing the annual international Gdynia Sailing Days festival linking sport tourism and business for 25 years. Every year, the World and European Championships of Olympic and international classes are included in the festival. Hosting the World Sailing Championships will accelerate Gdynia’s growth as the capital of Polish sailing and provide the impetus for a Sailing Academy in the city.

Selected from six formal bids, both cities embraced the principles outlined in World Sailing’s Olympic Vision to deliver the Sailing World Championships and will host a Test Event up to 12 months prior to the championships. Gdynia and Valencia will also deliver a full edition of World Sailing’s Emerging Nations Program.

“The new format will help to grow the sport and allows sailors to compete in the most suitable conditions for their event, while also proving more efficient and sustainable for host venues,” said Quanhai Li, World Sailing President. “The facilities at both venues are exceptional with plans in place to further enhance the field of play ahead of the championships.”

David Graham, World Sailing CEO, added, “A split championship format reflects the direction from our wider stakeholder group; the benefits of which are being seen already in that the level of interest was much higher as it reduces the financial and logistical resources required from the hosts.”

The World Sailing Championships in Valencia will be organized in partnership with the Generalitat Valenciana, the Valencia City Council, the Valencian Sailing Federation,and Spanish Sailing Federation.

The World Sailing Championships in Gdynia will be organized by Polish Yachting Association in partnership with the Ministry of Sport and Tourism of the Republic of Poland, the regional government of Pomeranian Voivodship, and the City of Gdynia.

Slate of events:

Valencia 2026:
• Men’s Kite
• Women’s Kite
• Men’s Windsurfing
• Women’s Windsurfing
• Men’s Dinghy
• Women’s Dinghy
• Para Inclusive events to be confirmed

Gdynia 2027:
• Men’s Skiff
• Women’s Skiff
• Mixed Dinghy
• Mixed Multihull
• Para Inclusive events to be confirmed

Editor’s note: World Sailing has voted to keep the exact same slate of events and equipment for 2028 as is for Paris 2024. However, the slate is not final until the IOC approves all events, which usually occur between December and January after the Games. At that point they will confirm the quota for sailing, and how many medals. Until then, nothing is fully secure.

Source: World Sailing