With just weeks to go until the 2025 Youth Match Racing World Championship in Gdynia, Poland, New Zealand’s Waitemata Racing is gearing up for what might be their biggest – and possibly final – event as a youth team. Skipper Josh Hyde and crew members Sofia Higgott, Mason Mulcahy, Cody Coughlan and Zach Fong will line up against the world’s best youth sailors from July 21–27, with one goal: bringing the title home.

Waitemata Racing L2R: Mason Mulcahy, Cody Coughlan, Sofia Higgott, Josh Hyde & Zach Fong. Photo: Suellen Hurling / Live Sail Die

Before touching down in Europe, the team is heading to Sydney to compete at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA). It’s not just a warm-up – it’s a critical training mission. The World Champs will be raced in RS21 keelboats, a class that doesn’t exist in New Zealand, so Waitemata Racing tracked one down in Sydney. They’ll be spending time learning the boat and getting race-ready against top Aussie competitors like Cole Tapper and Ben Crawford. While those sailors aren’t heading to Poland, the high-level match-ups will be invaluable preparation.

Switching from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron’s Emirates Team New Zealand Elliott 7s to the RS21 is no small feat. The RS21 is half a metre shorter, has less sail area, and will handle very differently – especially in the light, choppy, offshore breeze that’s expected in Gdynia. “We’ve had a few light wind days at home to get ready,” says Sofia, “but the conditions in Poland are going to be next level – much more shifty and unpredictable, with a choppy sea state.”

Sixteen teams are set to compete in Poland, with many new names in the mix. “We only really know about 20% of the fleet,” admits Josh. “So it’s going to be interesting to see how we stack up.”

Waitemata Racing – Selected to Represent New Zealand and RNZYS at the 2025 Youth Match Racing World Championships. Photo: Suellen Hurling / Live Sail Die

The event includes two training days followed by five intense days of racing – the team could sail up to 40 races across the championship. It’s a mental and physical grind, and knowing when to switch off is part of the game. “You can’t stay switched on all the time,” Sofia laughs. “We play music, eat, drink, chill when we can. Then a couple of races before our start, we switch on. That’s when the focus kicks in.”

This regatta is particularly emotional for the team. Several members are aging out of youth competition, while others are heading off to university – studying everything from medicine to architecture. For Sofia, it may well be her final big match racing event. “There just aren’t that many women’s teams on the open circuit, and unless you’ve got the right size and crew combination, it’s hard to find a spot. So I’m giving this everything I’ve got.”

Waitemata Racing has previously held the world’s #1 youth match racing ranking and currently sits at #2. With current top-ranked Cole Tapper now aged out, a strong finish in Poland could push them back into the top spot. But for the crew, it’s not just about rankings. “A world title is forever,” Josh says. “That’s what we’re really chasing. You win that, and you’re the best in the world. No one can take that from you.”

This campaign wouldn’t be possible without the team’s amazing supporters: Dominion Constructors, the New Zealand Sailing Foundation, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, the RNZYS International Sailing Fund, Musto Clothing, and the Arid Island Yacht Club.

The RNZYS Mastercard Youth Training Programme has also played a major role in the team’s development. “We started with National Youth Training Week, got hooked, and now we’re representing New Zealand on the world stage,” says Josh. It’s been a journey built on hard work, trust, and more than a few laughs.

Whether this is the end of their youth sailing chapter or the start of something new, one thing is certain – Waitemata Racing is ready to leave it all on the water in Poland.