Mallorcan Nacho Baltasar, iQFOiL U23 world’s runner-up

The Mallorca windsurfer has won the semifinal and the first final of September 13th in Portimao waters, to climb up to the second plaze of the iQFOiL U23 World Championship.

Spanish windsurfer Nacho Baltasar has achieved the silver medal in the iQFOiL U23 World Championship, which has taken place in Portimao (Portugal) for six journeys. The sailor from Club Nàutic Sa Ràpita, eleventh in Paris 2024, fought against Australian Grae Morris, current olympic champion and leader of the competition, in a maximum emotion Medal Series. 

The Mallorcan reached the Medal Series in fourth position, which gave him the direct pass to the semifinal. The beginning of this test has not been good for Baltasar, which has taken place with winds of 12 and 16 knots. However, the young windsurfer has achieved succeeding all his rivals and crossing the finish line in first position and winning the ticket to the Grand Final.

In the Grand Final, the top two from the previous series were waiting: Italian sailor Leonardo Tomasini, who had finished second, and the reigning Olympic champion and dominant leader of the championship, Australian Grae Morris, already with a victory to his name. Nacho Baltasar started first and, throughout the race, steadily increased his lead to claim victory in this opening duel of the Grand Final, leveling the score with the Australian.

In the second Grand Final, Grae Morris secured a first-place finish to seal the championship and crown himself world champion, while Nacho Baltasar earned the title of runner-up. Bronze went to Italian Leonardo Tomasini.

Nacho Baltasar expressed his delight with the medal: “I was coming from a week where I just wasn’t feeling sharp, but today I woke up really clear on what I needed to do. The first race got complicated because my option on the right side didn’t work out in the opening leg, but I kept trusting that strategy, and in the end it proved the right choice. In the next race, I was super motivated and winning with that advantage was incredible. I’m very proud and happy, I showed I could measure up against the reigning Olympic champion. We’ll keep pushing for the upcoming championships.”

“We leave very happy with this silver medal,” added Marcos Fernández, head coach of the Spanish men’s iQFOiL team at the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation.

At just 21 years old, Nacho Baltasar is one of Spain’s most promising windsurfers. In his first Olympic experience, at Paris 2024, he finished in 11th place, narrowly missing the Medal Series. His résumé already includes a fifth place at the 2023 Marseille Test Event and a bronze at the 2024 French Olympic Week. This season, his best result until now had been a fourth place in Hyères, to which he now adds this silver medal at the U23 World Championship.

The Royal Spanish Sailing Federation is funded by the Spanish Higher Sports Council, the Spanish Olympic Committee, and Universo Mujer, and is sponsored by Iberdrola, Quirónprevención, and Loterías y Apuestas del Estado. Official suppliers include Azul Marino, Murimar Seguros, Nippon Express, Marinepool, and Enovis. Institutional partners are ADESP, World Sailing, and the Port of Santander.

Full results available at https://2025iqworldsu23.portimao.sailti.com/en/default/races/race-resultsall.