Nacho Baltasar tests himself at Dutch Water Week

The journey continues for Club Nàutic Sa Ràpita sailor Nacho Baltasar, who, after the first day of racing and five completed heats, is leading the overall IQFoil standings at the 2025 Dutch Water Week.

Around thirty international sailors in the IQFoil, ILCA 6, and ILCA 7 classes gathered for the fourth edition of the Dutch Week, held from September 17th to 21st in Almere, Netherlands.

This new format, with only ten competitors per class and compact, fast, fair, and easy-to-follow races, is being tested in Almere. The goal is to expand the Sailing Grand Slam (SGS) Finals internationally in the coming years at a yet-to-be-determined location.

To test this new type of competition, the top five sailors from each class according to the SGS ranking were invited. In addition, each international class organization nominated three extra sailors, while the Dutch organizers awarded two wildcards per discipline. The result: a smaller but highly competitive field, featuring local favorites alongside world champions.

Among the standout athletes is Club Nàutic Sa Ràpita sailor Nacho Baltasar, who successfully faced the challenging conditions on the first day, including gusty winds, heavy rain, and gray skies. “It was a great day on the water with a pleasant breeze. It’s fantastic to compete in such a small but highly competitive group with this new format, where only the top three score. It’s also fun to try a new course. I’m really looking forward to the next days,” said the Mallorcan, who currently sits first in the overall standings.

The competition continues at Marina Muiderzand until Friday. The final qualifying races will take place on Saturday, September 20th, at the Weerwater, right in the city center. The decisive finals of the first Sailing Grand Slam will be held on Sunday, September 21st, with short, intense races that will determine the winners.