Marco Gradoni ITA, winner of the two races sailed again in well-established trade winds and big waves yesterday, is the outstanding winner of the 2019 Optimist World Championshp, his third in a row, a unique performance in the over 50 year history of the Class. Richard Schultheis MLT and Jaime Ayarza ESP earned Silver and Bronze. ----- Similar is the achievement of Maria Perello ESP, dominating in the Girls rankings ahead of Amparo Stupenengo ARG and Okyanus Arykan TUR. ----- The North Americans sailing in the Goldfleet finished the event on the ranks 32 (Thommie Grit USA), 34 (Samara Walshe), 35 (Tommy Sitzmann USA) and 50 (Jack Redmond USA). Winborne Majette ISV is on rank 52. ----- All ranking lists and the final report.

Fresh winds, big waves and a strong current made racing off Antigua again very challenging yesterday, ideal for the leading trio extending the lead on the rest of the fleet in the two races of the day. The defending champion Marco Gradoni ITA has now a 17 point advantage and his chances to become the first in the Optimist history to win three World Championship titles are perfect in the last races of the competition today. Richard Schultheis MLT kept his 2nd place but the advantage on Jaime Ayarza ESP, best of the day with the ranks 2 and 1, new on rank 2, is only 2 points. Ian Walker RSA on 4th is already 29 points behind the Bronze Medal. The best Girl Maria Perello ESP follows on rank 9. ----- The North Americans sailing in the Goldfleet all lost 10 ranks and more and are now on the ranks 26 (Thommie Grit USA), 34 (Samara Walshe), 36 (Jack Redmond USA) and 37 (Tommy Sitzmann USA). Winborne Majette ISV is on rank 51.The results and the daily news.

The defending champion Marco Gradoni ITA extended his lead at the Optimist Worlds on Antigua to 9 points with another race win yesterday in the first two Final Series races held in thundery conditions with gusts of up to 26kn. Richard Schultheiss MLT remains the runner-up. New on rank 3 is now Sebastian Kempe BER. The best girl Maria Perello ESP advanced on rank 11. ----- The North Americans sailing in the Goldfleet are now on the ranks 18 (Tommy Sitzmann USA), 20 (Samara Walshe), 21 (Thommie Grit USA), 29 (Jack Redmond USA). Winborne Majette ISV is on rank 53. -----The results and the daily news.

Defeating Thailand in the Final, Italy earned the Team Race title at the Optimist World Championship on Antigua. Bronze went to the Peru Team. Europe, Asia, the Americas .... truly global. The USA Team qualified for the last 8 and was eliminated by Peru. The event website with the Live Ticker. Photos and short reports on the event facebook page. ----- Today begins the crucial phase of the individual Championship. The defending champion Marco Gradoni ITA is starting to the Final Series in the Goldfleet one point in front of Richard Schultheiss MLT. Another point behind follows Ian Walker RSA. Four USA and an ISV sailor are qualified for the Goldfleet: Jack Redmond 19th, Samara Walshe 20th, Thommie Grit 21st, Tommy Sitzmann USA 36th and Winborne Majette ISV 54th. ----- The ranking list and the event website.

Yesterday, 38 races of the two-day Team Racing Worlds on Antiigua were held in a 15-17kn breeze and a big swell to select the best 16 among the 44 teams for the Final of today, here the Final elimination ladder (PDF). The USA Team qualified and will meet ESP today. ----- Fleetracing for the individual Championship will resume tomorrow. ----- The video of day 2 and the daily news.

Yesterday, 38 races of the two-day Team Racing Worlds on Antiigua were held in a 15-17kn breeze and a big swell to select the best 16 among the 44 teams for the Final of today, here the elimination ladder (PDF). The USA Team qualified and will meet ESP today. ----- Fleetracing for the individual Championship will resume tomorrow. ----- The video of day 2 and the daily news.

In the last two Qualification Series races held in lighter (around 17kn) and unconstant winds, the defending champion Marco Gradoni ITA took the overall lead with two race wins. Richard Schultheis MLT follows one point behind on rank 2, Ian Walker RSA remains on the 3rd place. The best Girl Maria Perello ESP is on rank 16. ----- Four USA sailors are qualified for the Goldfleet: Jack Redmond 19th, Samara Walshe 20th, Thommie Grit 21st and Tommy Sitzmann USA. Winborne Majette ISV on 54th is in the Goldfleet as well. Andreas Steinitz CAN 145th, Riccardo Lopez-Cepero PUR 155th and Alexandro Riquelme Beckmann MEX 184th are the best among the other North American teams. ----- Today and tomorrow, the Team Race Worlds are on the program with the USA Team among the favorites. ----- The ranking list, the daily news and the video highlights of day 2.

Flawless has been the performance of Richard Schultheis MLT so far, who won again both races of his group yesterday, but the defending Champion Marco Gradoni ITA keeps the pace adding two bullets on his results sheet as well moving up on rank 2 overall. Ian Walker RSA stays on the 3rd place. Thommie Grit USA is 6th. Maria Perello ESP and Samara Walshe USA on the ranks 16 and 17 are the best girls. Jack Redmond USA, 3rd after day one, had a bad day (ranks 18 and 49) and dropped on rank 48. Tommy Sitzmann USA (ranks 11/4) on the contrary is strongly coming from behind moving up on the 73rd position, a candidate for the top-10 as soon as the discard comes into effect. Winborne Majette ISV 30th, Andreas Steinitz CAN 111th, Riccardo Lopez-Cepero PUR 160th and Mateo Cortes Suarez MEX 176th are the best among the other North American teams. ----- The trade winds around 20kn and the big waves on the second day enjoyed the big-breeze specialists in the fleet. Check out the video to get an impression on the conditions, unusual for many participants. ----- The ranking list and the daily news. ----- Today, the last two qualification races are on the program, again to be followed over GPS tracking and a live ticker.

Challenging conditions prevailed on the first day of the Optimist World Championship in Antigua with fresh, shifty winds, big waves, currents and seaweed. After two races with the fleet split in four groups, Richard Schultheis MLT is on rank one with two bullets, followed by Ian Walker RSA and Jack Redmond USA. The double World Champion Marco Gradoni ITA is also well positioned on rank 5. ----- The other North Americans in the top-100 are Tommie Grit USA 7th, Samara Walshe USA 17th, Winborne Majette ISV 46th and Liam Sturge CAN 93rd. Best of their nations are also Mateo Cortes Suarez MEX 110th and Riccardo Lopez-Cepero PUR 125th among the 254 participants from 64 nations. ----- The ranking list and the daily news.