Francisco "Kiko" Dal Ri has been crowned 2026 ILCA 6 Men's World Champion, giving Porto Alegre a new world title after a final day in Portugal that kept the result in doubt until the last races were sailed.
The Brazilian had gone into Friday holding just a two-point lead over compatriot Erik Scheidt. The pair had traded the overall lead all week, and the final day became a straight shootout between the two, with every placing carrying weight.
Conditions didn't make it easy. The race committee faced a difficult programme but managed to get both scheduled races away, closing out a full six-day series.
Dal Ri held his nerve. He stayed among the leading boats throughout the regatta and found the consistency needed to turn his slender advantage into the title.
Scheidt took silver on 63 net points, completing a Brazilian one-two at the top of the standings.
Croatia's Bepo Duplančić was the standout performer on the final day, climbing into bronze with a fourth place in the last race. He finished third overall on 98 net points.
Italy's Lorenzo Ghirotti ended up fourth on 101, just three points adrift of the Croatian after adding a sixth and a 10th on the last day. Portugal's Kuzey Karis had entered the final day fourth overall but slipped to fifth after a ninth and a retirement, finishing on 111 points.
Sixty sailors from 18 countries contested the championship at Vilamoura, facing a broad range of conditions through the week. The fleet dealt with everything from light, shifty breeze to much stronger winds, a mix that tested speed, tactical decision-making and consistency in equal measure.
For Dal Ri, the win caps a strong international season in the class.
