Mr. Pattana Boonsawad, Secretary-General of the Windsurfing Association of Thailand, announced that from June 11 to July 26, 2025, the association will send two national windsurfing teams—youth (aged 16) and SEA Games squads—to compete in three consecutive events in Europe, spanning approximately two months.
The campaign kicks off with the “iQFOiL Games” in Kiel, Germany, from June 20-25, 2025. Both the senior and youth teams will participate in this event as preparation for the Windsurfing World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark, from July 4-11, 2025. To qualify for the World Championships, athletes must compete in the “Cadiz iQFOiL Games” in Cadiz, Spain. The three selected Thai athletes are: Men’s Open – Nitipat Chaiyawutwet; Women’s Open – Aticha Homraruen and Siriporn Kaewduangngam.
Additionally, the International Sailing Federation has granted Thailand a special opportunity to select high-performing windsurfing athletes. The association will send three youth athletes to the World Championships to gain global experience and accumulate points for Olympic qualification in two years. After the Denmark event, the SEA Games team will return, while the youth team will proceed to the Youth and Junior iQFOiL World Championships in Brest, France, in July 2025, before returning by the end of the month.
For this extended European tour, coaches have been instructed to prioritize the athletes’ mental well-being, living conditions, and nutrition to ensure peak performance. Currently, both teams are 80% ready. The youth team aims to finish in the top 30, a respectable target for their first world-level competition, while the SEA Games team is targeting a top-20 finish.
Mr. Pattana added that the teams consist of: SEA Games Team – iQFOiL Open Men: Nitipat Chaiyawutwet; iQFOiL Open Women: Siriporn Kaewduangngam, Aticha Homraruen. Youth Team – iQFOiL Youth U19 Men: Phaspong Lienglam; iQFOiL Junior U17 Men: Wachirawit Thanu, Wachirawit Manbamrung, Ratchanont Khunjeang; iQFOiL Junior U17 Women: Chanatkan Charoensuk. The teams will be coached by Mr. Sakda Sakulfang (“Coach Kai”) and Mr. Natthaphong Phoiprat (“Oat”). They will depart on June 11, 2025, via Thai Airways flight TG920 from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Hesse, Germany, with a travel time of approximately 11.5 hours.
The SEA Games team stated they are 90% ready and aim to outperform Asian competitors like China, Hong Kong, and South Korea, as these results will impact the Asian Games and Olympics. They are focusing on physical conditioning, particularly weight management, and the senior athletes will mentor and spar with the youth team during their extended time away from home, committing to perform at their best.
The youth team, competing at the world level for the first time, acknowledged the challenge of facing experienced international competitors. They are preparing thoroughly, addressing issues like weight management, and aim to advance as far as possible to gain opportunities for future competitions.
