Team BOOST Stella Maris Malta crowned SB20 European Female Champions

Aug 24, 2025

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Malta has celebrated a historic triumph at the SB20 European Championships in Ostend, Belgium, as Team BOOST Stella Maris were crowned European Female Champions.

Representing the Royal Malta Yacht Club and the SB20 Malta Association, skipper Gabriella Mifsud led teammates Anna Basalkina, Mattea Ciantar, and Emilie Gregory to an outstanding performance across thirteen fiercely contested races.

The SB20, a renowned one-design keelboat class, emphasizes skill, tactics, and teamwork over technical advantages. Additionally, it attracts some of the world’s best professional and amateur sailors.

Team BOOST Stella Maris earned their place in the European Championships after winning the Maltese SB20 National League, proving their dominance locally before making their mark on the international stage.

Sailors show superb resilience

Although they endured a difficult start with a 32nd place in the opening race, the team showed remarkable resilience. They steadily climbed the leaderboard, closing the event on a high with an impressive fifth place in the final race. They finally managed to secure 13th overall in a highly competitive fleet.

Conditions in Ostend added to the challenge. The Maltese sailors had to adapt quickly to large Atlantic-style waves, strong tidal currents, and average wind speeds in the low 20s. These are far removed from the Mediterranean conditions they are used to. Their ability to adjust and maintain consistency proved decisive.

Though new to the SB20 Class, the team drew on their vast sailing background, including experience in the gruelling Rolex Middle Sea Race, to rise to the occasion.

“This is a very proud moment for us and for Malta,” said skipper Gabriella Mifsud. “As an all-female team, we wanted to show that with hard work, focus, and determination we can compete at the highest level. Winning the European title after such a tough start is a huge achievement, and one we hope will inspire more women to take up sailing.”

This landmark result, the first ever for a Maltese SB20 team, reflects the growing strength of Maltese sailing and highlights the determination of its female athletes.

Team BOOST Stella Maris extended their thanks to SportMalta, the SB20 Malta Association, and Boost for their support in making this achievement possible.