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.

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.

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.

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.