Puerto Rico, France and Brazil take final ISAF Youth Worlds top honors

(July 19, 2013) – Juan Perdomo (PUR), Lucas Rual and Emile Amoros (FRA) and Brazil’s Tiago Brito and Andrei Kneipp added their names to the Sail First ISAF Youth World Championship gold medallists as racing concluded in Limassol, Cyprus.

Perdomo overcame a tense finish to pick up the Laser Radial Boys gold whilst Lucas Rual and Emile Amoros (FRA) ended their regatta in style by recording their sixth race win.

Brazil’s Brito and Kneipp took the 420 Boys title after the RS:X Girls, RS:X Boys, Laser Radial Girls, SL16 and 420 Girls honours had been decided on the penultimate day.

Juan Perdomo (PUR) and Joel Rodriguez (ESP) duelled in the final Laser Radial Boys race as Rodriguez looked to overturn a 16 point deficit. Perdomo held an OCS to his name with Rodriguez discarding a tenth so anything could have happened.

“It was very intense,” said Perdomo. “It was really close at the end because Joel match raced me at the start and then it got really tense and when I crossed the finish line I wasn’t sure if I won.

“I heard Hugh [Styles, World Youth Sailing Trust Coach] say I was 23rd and then it really kicked in that I had won and it’s a really great feeling.”

Rodriguez’s efforts at the start meant he came down in 40th in the final race resulting in Perdomo finishing three points clear of the Spaniard to claim Puerto Rico’s first ever ISAF Youth Worlds medal. – Read on

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