Highlights from the Final Day of Dutch Water Week

Windsurfers up early on Sailing Grand Slam finale day
Sleeping in was not an option for the windsurfers today. The iQFOiL class participants were scheduled to start at 2:30 PM but were allowed on the water early. Racing could not take place yesterday due to insufficient wind. The schedule was adjusted specifically for this class to ensure enough wind for exciting races. In the end, Yoa Vomer from Israel took first place, Johan Soe from Norway finished second, and Joost Vonk came third.

Windsurfer Sara Wennekes flies over the Weerwater on an eFoil
The second day of the Dutch Water Week eFoil Dutch Open concluded with finalists flying over the water. Sara Wennekes did not need to compete in her usual class today but was on the Weerwater participating in the eFoil Dutch Open, where she secured third place.

Roos Wind: “Smart and tactical sailing is the best strategy here”
Roos Wind finished third in the ILCA 6 class and reflects on testing different race formats over two days on the Weerwater: “The wind really comes from all directions, so looking outside the boat and sailing smart and tactically is actually the best strategy here. The races are much shorter than usual, and now we’re racing the final with only five boats, so it’s a small fleet. I think it’s nice to try something different, and it’s good that new formats are being tested here.”

Almere to become home of the next generation of watersports champions
On Sunday afternoon, after the showers, visitors, elite athletes, and children from Optimist on Tour enjoyed activities on and near the water. With elite athletes in the background, children got to try canoeing and sailing. The day concluded with the awards ceremony for the first edition of the Sailing Grand Slam.

Just before the start of Dutch Water Week 2025, the Watersport Association, together with the municipality of Almere and the province of Flevoland, announced ambitious plans to build a new top-level sailing, surfing, and kite center in Almere. From 2026, this center will become the place where the next generation of watersports champions is trained. Perhaps we’ll see the Optimist sailors from this weekend back on the water there!

Flevoland offers room for growth
If the Netherlands wants to win Olympic medals again in 2036, we need to invest now in a future-proof training program. Scheveningen remains the home base for the Olympic selection, where elite athletes train daily under challenging sea and current conditions. However, training large groups of youth and promising athletes requires a different environment: something more sheltered, safer, and with more room for growth. Flevoland provides that space and aligns with the growth of Almere.