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From 5-15 December, Argentina’s Mar de Plata hosted the 70th Optimist World Championship. With 227 contestants representing 52 countries it proved yet again Optimists popularity as a dinghy that acts as a springboard to sporting excellence in sailing.
Argentina and the Optimist class: a long-standing relationship
It is not the first time Argentina has hosted the World Optimist Championship. First Mar del Plata hosted it in 1992 and then Buenos Aires in 2014. Given its rich maritime history and difficult courses, Mar del Plata is an ideal venue to test the skills of budding young sailors.
A hard-fought intense championship
During six days of racing, contestants completed 11 races in demanding conditions. A stiff 25-knot breeze on the first day with waves up to 3m high and strong current put participants to the test. On day two a light 4 to 8 knot breeze but very strong current required technical precision, while day three an 8-13 knot wind combined with a rough sea and constant chop made tactical decisions critical to success. The last three days continued to pose major challenges. Facundo Rubinelli from Yacht Club de Monaco improved with every race, showing remarkable progress throughout the event, notably securing a 3rd place on the penultimate day. He finished 206th in an extremely competitive fleet, gaining valuable experience against seasoned opponents.
Optimist: a springboard for the sailing elite
For kids starting out in sailing, the Optimist dinghy remains the world’s number one beginner’s boat and essential step in the career of any sailor. Results from the recent Paris Olympics 2024 confirm its reputation as a training class, with all gold medals being won by sailors who started their careers on Optimists and competed internationally. Fifteen of the 18 medallists had also competed in the Optimist class on the international stage. To top it all, seven of the Paris Olympic medal winners had competed in the 2008 Optimist World Championship, poof of its lasting impact when it comes to training champions.
Young sailors on the ascendance
As it does every year, the 40th Meeting Internazionale del Mediterraneo at Sanremo gathered Optimist class sailors from all over Europe. An unmissable event for many with 90 participants this year from Switzerland, France, Monaco and Italy divided in two categories, Cadet (2014-2015) and Junior (2009-2013).
Yacht Club de Monaco’s young sailors did amazingly well in very contrasting weather conditions. Friday saw a fresh 17 up to 20 knot easterly accompanied by a challenging swell that really put contestants to the test, with the rest of the weekend being more clement with a moderate 6-8 knot southwesterly.
YCM on form
41st Campionato Invernale West Liguria – Gorilla Gang Cup & Trofeo Statari
A high-energy atmosphere with tightly fought contests at sea and social gatherings marked the second weekend of the Campionato Invernale West Liguria. Once again it attracted a large fleet vying for the Gorilla Gang Cup and Trofeo Statari. Yacht Club de Monaco members seized the opportunity to race on Ligurian waters at this regatta organised by Yacht Club Sanremo.
Wind in the sails for YCM
During the 12th Optimist Halloween Cup, the team from Yacht Club de Monaco faced the challenge of windy conditions up to 25 knots on Lake Garda head on.
The regatta was a chance for sailors to prove their determination and resilience, particularly the youngest (born 2013-2015) who adapted well to the conditions and improved their techniques to boot. Nine races were held over the three days.
Spectacular end to the season
A thrilling season on the RC44 circuit concluded with the 44Cup Nanny Cay in British Virgin Islands waters. The fifth and final stage lived up to all the promise to give spectators and crews a regatta full of suspense and intense races that went down to the wire. Up to the final day, several crews were in the running for victory, testimony of the on-a-par high level that holds sway in this fleet.
Malizia-Seaexplorer in the Southern Hemisphere
Vendée Globe
While part of the Vendée Globe fleet is still up against the vagaries of the Doldrums, the other half have crossed the Equator. While some are sailing to the rhythm of squalls and calm areas, others are making progress in the trade winds with one goal in mind, to head south as quickly as possible. The challenge? Not to miss the weather system off Rio de Janeiro that could propel them to Cape Hope. In this situation, speed is of the essence but so is the need to optimise your trajectory. At this stage skippers must decide whether to skirt the Fernando de Noronha archipelago from the west or the east.
Learning at high speed!
Cape 31 – European Championship – Sanremo
The Cape 31 European Championship held in Sanremo recently marked an important milestone for Yacht Club de Monaco member Loïc Pompée’s Terrible Joy. It wasn’t just about results but an opportunity for young sailors in the Club to find out why so many are passionate about sailing. For three days, a 20-25 knot westerly ensured an exciting contest for all.
Lined up against the best European teams, Terrible Joy managed a very worthy 16th place in the overall ranking, finishing 5th in the amateur category. A very promising result for a crew that got together just 15 days before the event. With races in the top ten out of the 11 completed, the team consolidated their skills and teamwork. The Monaco team comprised seven sailors, including one professional and two talented youngsters from Yacht Club de Monaco: Didier Schouten and Juan Casalone.
New blood for new generation
The ILCA competition team in the Yacht Club de Monaco’s Sports Section did very well at the National Autumn Cup in Hyères, a major meeting for young sailors. Six races were completed for the 128-strong ILCA 6 fleet by contestants from France, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Germany, India, Guatemala, Ukraine and Monaco.
ClubSwan 28: new star on the circuit
The Swan Sardinia Challenge concluded in Villasimius, Sardinia. This international event hosted the final leg of the Nations League 2024 of the ClubSwan Racing One Design circuit that showcased the brand new ClubSwan 28. Ideal weather conditions saw eight races completed, with a 10-14 knot easterly on the last day.
Yacht Club de Monaco was well represented in this stage by the crew on Oocz, that included Federico Michetti, clinching 5th place in the overall ranking.
Two podiums for YCM
The Swan One Design Worlds ended in spectacular fashion in Palma de Mallorca with World Champions crowned in three ClubSwan Racing classes. Right to the end, the outcome of this Nations League remained uncertain. Yacht Club de Monaco members did themselves proud, particularly in the ClubSwan 50 where one small point separated YCM’s Graeme and Raquel Peterson (Moonlight) from victory. In the event they took the silver medal after six races. Last year’s winner Leonardo Ferragamo’s Cuordileone was 3rd.