More than 60 women sailors lined up for a Gold Fleet start in Aarhus, Denmark. Holding my position, fighting to get my bow out, accelerating off the line against some of the best youth sailors in the world was exactly where I wanted to be.
Aarhus was my fifth ILCA Youth World Championships. It was also one of my favorite places to sail.
Team USA arrived with 42 sailors across the youth men's and women's fleets. Walking through the boat park and seeing USA sails everywhere was pretty cool. Off the water, I got to spend time with teammates and sailors from around the world. With 429 sailors from 45 nations competing in Aarhus, it really felt like an international championship.
The city of Aarhus dates back to around A.D. 750, so going out with friends in a city with more than 1,250 years of history adds to the experience. Cycling is a big part of everyday life in Denmark, and I loved biking to and from the sailing center.
Top American and Gold Fleet
I finished as the top American sailor. In the women's fleet, I finished 29th in a women’s fleet of 122 sailors. Qualifying for Gold Fleet meant I got to spend the championship racing head-to-head against the strongest sailors in the fleet.
For me, that result feels less like a finish line than evidence that the work is starting to add up.
What I loved most about Aarhus was how the conditions were always changing. One day, it could be 80 degrees with light air and clear skies. On this type of day, finesse through every shift was essential. The next day could be in the low 60s with rain and 15+ knots. Those days demanded hiking hard while still staying mentally focused.
What the Week Taught Me
Gold Fleet at a World Championship is brutally honest. A slightly late start, a missed shift, or a bad decision at a mark can cost ten boats almost instantly. There isn’t much room to hide a mistake.
Some races went the way I wanted. Others definitely didn’t. But one thing I was proud of was continuing to fight for places even when a race got messy. At this level, I’ve learned that recovering from a mistake can matter almost as much as avoiding one.
Looking back at the North Americans, OCR, Midwinters East, and the training and travel leading into Aarhus, I can see how those experiences built on each other. I’m not finished climbing, but I’m climbing in the right direction.
I enjoyed the Team USA camaraderie, and I’m grateful to my coach, John Bertrand, my family, and everyone who made this trip possible. Aarhus was special — the venue, the conditions, the competition, and the team. I already miss Denmark, and I’m grateful for how this week brought everything together.
What’s Next
Aarhus marked the end of my Youth World Championship campaign, but not the end of what I am trying to build as a sailor.
Almost immediately, something new begins. This week, I headed to my first collegiate sailing practice at Tulane, where I’ll be competing in both double-handed and single-handed events. And I’ll be out there in the ILCA fleet for a few U.S. and international events in the near future.
I leave Denmark with a clearer understanding of where I’ve improved, where I still have work to do, and how much I want sailing to remain part of my life. College sailing will be different, but it feels like a natural continuation of everything that brought me to Aarhus.
One chapter closes. Another starts today.
Fair winds,
Paloma Arrigo
USA 226942
ILCA 6 | CDMHS ‘26 | Tulane ‘30
Paloma Arrigo is an ILCA 6 sailor, an Academic All-American, and a member of the Tulane University sailing team. Follow The Catch as she writes about international competition, college sailing, training, and life on and off the water.