Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Optimist - World Championship 2016 - Vilamoura POR - Team Racing - Final results - Gold for the USA
The Optimist Worlds 2016 in Vilamoura POR were concluded yesterday with the Team-Race competition. Due to lack of wind, the second Semi Final had to be abandoned, and the USA Team was declared Team Race World Champion based on the results of the previous Rounds. Argentina and Italy completed the podium.
The results and the event website.
The results and the event website.
Only one of the two planned races was sailed at the Optimist World Championship 2016 in Vilamoura POR. With a 2nd race rank, May Wallenberg SUI/SNG secured the World Champion's title. His direct opponant Mathias Barthet NOR was out right after the start with a premature disqualification. With this most important victory, Max Wallenberg SUI, age 14, undefeated in all regattas 2016, crowned his incredible series of wins. After Nicolas Rolaz SUI two years ago, Switzerland celebrates again a World Champion in the most important youth class of sailing, a proof of the efficient promotion of young talents by the Swiss Optimist Class and the excellent development environment at the Société Nautique of Geneva, double America's Cup winner. 
Only one of the two planned races was sailed at the Optimist World Championship 2016 in Vilamoura POR. The leader Mathias Barthet NOR was out right after the start with a premature disqualification. Max Wallenberg SUI, member of the Youth Squad of the Société Nautique Geneva (two times America's Cup Winner), finished on rank 2 and is the superior winner of the title ! Congratulation ! After Nicolas Rolaz SUI two years ago, Switzerland celebrates again a World Champion in the most important youth class of sailing. 
The Optimist World Championship continued yesterday with two Final Series races sailed in a well-established seabreeze. With the day ranks 1 and 2, Max Wallenberg SUI was again the best of the day in the Goldfleet, advanced on rank 3 reducing the backlog to the leader Mathias Berthet NOR on 3 points. This duo will fight for the title in today's final races, as the 3rd-ranked Muhamad Fauzi Kaman Shah MAS is already 32 points back. The best ranked North Americans sailing in the Goldfleet are Justin Callaghan USA on 4th, Thomas Hall USA on 8th, Rodgers Zane USA on 13th, Sebastian Riquelme MEX on 34th, Samuel Bruce USA on 40th and Iker Loza Ramirez MEX on 60th. 
Moderate winds prevailed again on the first day of the Final Series with the fleet split in Gold, Silver, ..... and two race were completed.
Light winds with a big swell and currents prevailed on the third day of the Optimist World Championship 2016 in the South of Portugal, and the four Groups completed two races each. Max Wallenberg SUI remained on top overall with the day ranks 3 and 9, but Daniel Hung SIN on the 2nd place is only one point, Daniel Videla ARG as 3rd 2 points behind the Swiss. The best ranked North Americans are Justin Callaghan USA on 14th, Rodgers Zane USA on 16th, Thomas Hall USA on 28th, Samuel Bruce USA on 38th, Sebastian Riquelme MEX on 55th, Iker Loza Ramirez MEX on 61st and Eric Omielan CAN on 139th. 
The Optimist World Championship 2016 continued yesterday with two races for three of the four Groups. Only the 
The Optimist World Championship 2015 began yesterday in southern Portugal with 255 participants from 58 nations and 5 continents, once more one of the biggest international sports events ! The fleet, split in four Groups, completed two races each.
