Valentino Blewett raised some eyebrows both locally and abroad when he finished 11th at the 2024 iQFOIL Youth & Junior World Championships in Sa Rapita, Spain.
Things did not kick off well for the 16-year-old windsurfer, who saw the dreaded black flag (or BFD in sailing parlance) go up on Day 1. He'd committed a false start, which essentially relegated him to last in that initial contest.
Blewett regrouped quickly, however, and placed in the top 10 five times over the next nine races—each involving approximately 143 athletes. The only other Canadian in the field, Simon Fauser of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, wound up 129th.
"It was my first race for Canada," Blewett explained. "I want to thank Kevin Black. He's the coach from BC Sailing who came to help me during the race. From [the second day onwards], I wanted to have fun and try to build from that mistake as much as possible. I've been working hard lately, and [to finish] top 15 was my goal."
Although Blewett currently lives near Lake Garda in northern Italy, he spent much of his childhood in the Sea to Sky. The half-Canadian, half-Italian youngster was introduced to his first hobby, sailing, by way of the Whistler Sailing Association (WSA).
He remembers capsizing in one of his first lessons at six years of age, briefly going beneath his Optimist boat. Despite some initial shock, Blewett wasn't traumatized by the event—much the opposite, he views it as a fun memory.
WSA general manager Francois Hebert remembers Blewett from those early days on the water and is thrilled for his former pupil.
"Valentino did an amazing job at the Youth Worlds," Hebert wrote in an email to Pique. "It’s so exciting to see his success, especially since he got his start at the Whistler Sailing Association. While he’s been based in Italy for a few years now, training and competing on the European youth circuit, it’s fantastic to see how far he’s come."
Respectable praise indeed from the 2023 ILCA7 Laser Master Sailboat champion, and Blewett's glad to hear it.
"I'm very happy and it feels great," he said. "I really like Whistler, from the skiing to the sailing to the biking—everything. I'd love to come back soon."
'Focus, never give up, do your best'
Blewett was born with water sports in his blood.
His father, Curtis, is an accomplished sailor who won the 1997-98 Whitbread Round the World Race and 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup to go along with America's Cup victories in 2003 and 2007. He's filled several roles in his career, including one of the field's least enviable: repacking sails in the underbelly of his vessel as a so-called "sewer man."
After growing and maturing in the wake of those experiences, Curtis went on to teach his son vital lessons about being an athlete. Those lessons, according to Blewett, are: "Focus, never give up and do your best."
By 2020, Blewett had outgrown his old Optimist dinghies (which are usually meant for kids and youth). He took to windsurfing naturally at that point, utilizing the tactics and body control from his sailing days while appreciating the increased speed of his new sport.
The WSA alum started out representing Italy, but elected to switch allegiances to the Maple Leaf.
"My dad is Canadian and I just felt like it was a good choice," Blewett elaborated. "I think it's good to be windsurfing in Canada and I hope there's more people who start windsurfing in Canada—that the sport would build up."
Full results from the iQFOIL Youth & Junior Worlds are viewable at https://2024iqyjworldssarapita.sailti.com/en/default/races/race-resultsall.
