Canada at the World Sailing 2025 Youth Match Racing Invitational World Championships, Gdynia, Poland, July 21st – 27th

July 10, 2025

By Roger Renaud

The 2025 Youth Match Racing Worlds will be held at Gdynia, Poland. July 21-27.  Youth Match Racing Worlds is the highest level of youth match racing in the world. At this event the top 14 U23 (youth under 23) match racing teams are invited to compete for the title of Youth Match Racing World Champion, sailing the RS21 class. Canada’s team, led by Richard Rychlik Jr., will not only represent Canada, but also the Yacht Racing Union of the Great Lakes (YRUGL), the Lake Yacht Racing Association (LYRA), the Oakville Yacht Squadron (OYS), and the True North Sailing Team.

The RS21 is the ultimate one-design racing class. These modern boats have revolutionised keelboat racing. Sticking to the Corinthian spirit, sailors compete in identical RS21s, levelling the playing field and intensifying the competition. Success on the racecourse is determined by the skill and strategy of the crew rather than the difference in equipment.

Fresh off his Match 2025 Racing National Collegiate title (his 2nd with the University of Toronto) , and having acted as tactician in the Warren Jones Regatta in Perth, Rychlik Jr is looking to a podium position for his team at this event.

Richard shares with us the team goal: – “After a disappointing finish at the 2023 Youth Worlds, we are more determined than ever to redeem ourselves on the international stage and show that Ontario athletes can compete with the world’s best. Over the past year, we’ve dedicated ourselves to match racing, competing and achieving top results across Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Now, we’re ready to put all of that experience and hard work to the test in Gdynia, with our sights set on a top finish.”  This will be the second time Richard is representing Canada at the Youth Match Racing Worlds. 

True North Sailing Team represents Team Canada, the YRUGL, LYRA, and the Oakville Yacht Squadron.  This team of young sailors bring a tremendous amount to experience to this competition.  Note: CICSA is the Canadian Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association.

Richard Rychlik Jr., Skipper.  

• 2025 CICSA Skipper of the Year
• 2023 CICSA Crew of the Year
• U of T Sailing and CICSA President
• 1st 2025 Canadian Collegiate (CICSA) Match Racing National Championship, Grade 3O, E6m, RVYC, Vancouver, CAN
• 1st 2023 CICSA MR National Championship, Grade 3O, J22s , WVYC, Vancouver
• 1st (2019) / 4th (2018) CFJ National Championship, Mission Bay YC / Cal YC
• 1st 2023 CCE EDHEC Sailing Cup, J80s, Brest, France
• 1st 2023 California Race Week, J70, California YC, Marina Del Rey, USA
• 4th FISU University World Championship, Dolphin 81s, Lake Garda, ITA
• 5th 2025 Warren Jones ITL, Grade 2Y, Foundation 36, RFBYC, Perth, AUS
• 5th 2024 USMR Championship Qualifier, Grade 3O, SDYC, San Diego, USA
• 12th 2023 Youth MR World Championship, Grade W, E7m, CYCA, Sydney, AUS

Tara Golonka, Main

● Youth / Women’s America’s Cup – Concord Pacific Racing (Canada) Athlete

● 1st 2025 CICSA Keelboat National Championship, Sonars, Toronto CAN

● 1st 2024 Sail Canada Senior National Championships, 49erFX, Kingston ON

● 1st 2024 Star and Bar Match Race Regatta, Grade 4O, J22s, Seattle, USA

● 4th 2025 CICSA Match Racing National Championship, Grade 3O, E6m, RVYC, Vancouver

• Tara is a member of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club.

Take Kawashima, Float

● 1st 2025 CICSA Match Racing National Championship, Grade 3O, E6m, RVYC, Vancouver

● 1st B, 2nd Over 2025 CICSA Fleet Racing Nationals, c420, PCYC, Montreal, CAN

● 1st 2024 CICSA Can/Am Cup, c420, KYC, Kingston, CAN

● 3rd 2024 CICSA Keelboat Nationals, Sonars, RCYC, Toronto, CAN

● 3rd 2024 CICSA Ontario Regional Championship, c420, NYC, Toronto, CAN

 Luca Smith, Trim

● 1st Youth, 2nd Over 2025 NZL Fleet Racing Nationals, Auckland NZL

● 3rd 2025 NZ Youth World Trials, Grade 3Y, Auckland NZL

● 3rd 2024 Centerport Youth International, Grade 3Y, E6m, Wellington NZL

• 3rd 2024 Harken ITL Youth MR Racing Championship, Grade 3Y, Newport AUS
  • 4th 2024 NZ Youth Match Racing National Championship, Grade 3Y, Auckland NZL 
• 12th 2024 Youth Match Racing World Championship, Grade 3Y, Jeddah KSA

Wilbur Stanley, Bow

● 1st 2019 NZ Secondary Schools MR Nationals, Grade 3Y, E6m, Wellington NZL

● 1st 2020 NZ Youth MR Nationals, Grade 3Y, E6m, Wellington NZL

● 2nd 2023 Center Port Youth MR ITL, Grade 3Y, E6m, Wellington NZL

● 3rd 2025 Toyota Youth ITL MR Championship, Grade 3Y, E7m, Auckland NZL

● 4th 2024 Sunburst National Championship, Sunburst, Wellington NZL

LYRA is a proud sponsor of our team Canada. Luc D’Aoust of Lake Ontario’s LYRA, is actively involved with promoting and supporting youth match racing events in LYRA waters. He also sits in the Board of the YRUGL.

It’s great to see match racing come alive again on Lake Ontario, and especially with a focus towards the youth. The hope is to use this event as a launching point to reignite the Match Racing scene on Lake Ontario, with the support of LYRA.

Fundraising through Windathletes, under True North Sailing Team. https://www.windathletes.ca/athletes/true-north-sailing 

Event website: https://events.pya.org.pl/2025-youth-match-racing-world-championship,e125