On every sailor’s bucket list

When the 2025 Fireball World Championship was held at Italy’s Lake Garda, it marked the largest participation ever recorded outside the Anglo-Saxon countries in the 60-year history of the class.

People love this place, but what’s not to like? Crystal-clear waters are surrounded by dramatic mountains in the north and rolling hills and olive groves in the south.

Next up to get an epic infusion of participation is the OK Dinghy Class. With 213 boats from 15 nations for the 2025 World Championship, this will be the largest ever championship for the class in the 70 years since the OK became a worldwide sailing phenomenon.

“Racing on Lake Garda is probably on every sailor’s bucket list,” noted Class President Pontus Gäbel from Sweden. “To quote a sailor who did well here two years ago at the Europeans, the only problem with this place is that it is so beautiful that if you look up for a second you lose concentration.”