The World Sailing Test Event, held in Fortaleza in late January, marked the beginning of the city’s preparations for the 2027 Worlds, which will serve as a qualifier for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Beyond the technical, logistical, and sporting evaluations, the competition also provided a valuable opportunity for young sailors from different countries through the international federation’s Emerging Nations Program.

Launched in 2015, the ENP (Emerging Nations Program) aims to support the development of sailors from nations with a smaller presence in the sport. At the Fortaleza event, the initiative brought together ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 sailors from the Bahamas, Belize, Monaco, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay. In addition to the official races, the young sailors made the most of their time in Brazil’s Northeast with a series of training sessions led by Canadian coach Lisa Ross of World Sailing.

“I sailed in Fortaleza at the ILCA Worlds 21 years ago, so I know what a fantastic venue it is for sailing. Now we are working with these sailors, building connections ahead of next year’s event. We are working hard to help as many nations as possible qualify for the next Olympic Games, supporting countries that do not have as much backing in sailing as others. We also took the opportunity to better understand Fortaleza’s conditions and raise our level for the rest of the season,” the coach said.

“My goal is to learn as much as I can for the 2027 Worlds. The sailing conditions here are excellent,” said Joshua Higgins of the Bahamas. “The wind is great, the conditions are very good. It has been a great experience here,” added Belize sailor Trent Hardwick.

Watch below the full interview with Canadian coach Lisa Ross, who worked with the ENP sailors in Fortaleza.