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WINDSURFER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2025, ATHENS NAUTICAL CLUB

ALYSIA GIBSON – WINDSURFER COURSE RACING WORLD CHAMPION!!

Fresh from an incredible week of racing in Athens, Alysia Gibson has been crowned 2025 Windsurfer World Champion in Course Racing! The event brought together over 120 competitors from around the world for five days of close, tactical sailing in a mix of light and windy conditions.

Windsurfer LT enthusiast Roger Turner caught up with Alysia on her return to hear all about her experience, from the highs of taking the course racing title to the narrow miss of the overall crown….just one point shy!

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ROGER TURNER: So, you’re 2025 Windsurfer Course Race World Champion! How does that feel?

ALYSIA GIBSON “It feels really good, I’m super happy to have won the course racing, out of the 3 disciplines (course racing, slalom and marathon) this is definitely the one I wanted to win the most so I’m super happy with that, however my goal was to win the overall title, which I just missed out on by one point – so it’s a bit of a bittersweet feeling. I’m really proud of the win, but it’s hard not to think about how close I was to taking the overall too.”

ROGER TURNER: Yeah, that makes sense…Tell us how the regatta went for you, what were the conditions like?

ALYSIA GIBSON: “I think the regatta went really well, I had only been on the kit 4 times since last years worlds so I think to just step on it and win the course racing was pretty cool, but I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of the other competitors helping me tune the rig properly. 

I made a few too many mistakes which ultimately cost me the world title, most notably – going to the wrong gate mark on the penultimate race and losing the slalom title on the line! 

Once I got the settings dialled in though, I felt a lot more comfortable on the kit and noticeably faster.

We had three days of light winds and then two windy days so it was really nice to experience a full range of conditions throughout the week. 

I should also mention that it was an extremely well-run event – one of the most efficient events I’ve ever been to. The Race committee and the event organisers really did an amazing job, and Athens nautical club were fantastic hosts.”

ROGER TURNER: Great to hear…How many female competitors, plus how many in total?

ALYSIA GIBSON: “We had 24 female competitors and 125 total which made for a really fun marathon race (everyone together on one start line)”

ROGER TURNER: Such a beautiful sight too….How long have you been on the Windsurfer LT? Still on the iQFOiL too?

ALYSIA GIBSON: “I first got on the Windsurfer LT in August 2024 and then did the 2024 worlds in Spain where I was able to finish second in the course racing. And then this year I bought some IQFOiL kit back and have been giving the 7.3m (originally 8m) a go which I’ve been really enjoying so far and definitely hoping to do more of in the future!”

ROGER TURNER: What do you like about the LT? Where does it fit in for you?

ALYSIA GIBSON: “I really like the class… it’s a great bit of kit and actually super technical too. With no adjustables, you have to get the settings right before each race, because you can’t change them once you’ve started. I love one-design racing, and I love racing with a daggerboard! With the Olympic classes now being foiling, it’s nice to go back to a non-foiling board and put all the skills I spent years developing on the RS:X to good use.

One of the things that really stood out to me this year was seeing two Olympic gold medallists come back to compete at the event… including the first ever Olympic gold medallist! It says a lot about the class; it attracts such a wide range of sailors, from newcomers to some of the best in the world. It shows how fun, competitive, and accessible the LT really is, and I think that mix is what makes it so special. I’m also seeing more and more old-school legends joining the class…world champions and big names who haven’t raced in decades…so it’s really exciting that this is the class bringing everyone back out of the woodwork.

I also love how quick and easy it is to rig and get out on the water — that’s definitely a huge part of the appeal. And it’s just a fun bit of equipment overall, I take my dogs out on it with me sometimes, and it doubles as a paddleboard on the no-wind days!”

ROGER TURNER: Yep, it’s a proper versatile bit of kit and so accessible What’s your involvement with the RYA?

ALYSIA GIBSON: “I was part of the British Sailing Team for four years, competing in the RS:X and iQFOiL classes. During that time, I also worked as Emma Wilson’s training partner in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympics, which was an amazing experience and a huge learning opportunity.”

ROGER TURNER: How was the social side of the regatta? We know that’s a big part of the LT scene.

ALYSIA GIBSON: “The social side of the regatta was amazing. Everyone is super friendly and always willing to help, and there’s such a great sense of community around the class. It’s really nice meeting new people, catching up with old friends, and seeing sailors who haven’t competed in years come back to join in again.

I was also racing with my father, which is always really special and a big reason as to why I do these events… I think there were around five to ten other parent–child duos competing as well which was really nice to see. 

The class also does a great job with the social events. There is always a class dinner on one of the evenings where everyone gets invited, which is a great way to bring everyone together and meet new people, along with a happy hour each afternoon after sailing which was a nice way to chat and unwind after a long days racing.”