Switzerland Wins Optimist Worlds

Vilamoura, Portugal (July 1, 2016) – Switzerland’s Max Wallenberg is the new Optimist World Champion, topping a fleet of 255 sailors from 59 countries.

A very shifty wind didn’t cooperate on the last day of racing and it was only possible to complete one of the two races scheduled.

With winds at 10 knots, Max Wallenberg finished second to pass Norway´s Mathias Berthet, who was black flagged at the start and fell to second overall. Malaysia’s Muhammad Fauzi Kaman Shah also was black flagged but secured the bronze medal.

Malta’s Victoria Schultheis (20th overall) took the girl’s title, with Denmark’s Helena Wolff getting the silver and Jodie Lai from Singapore finishing third.

Team USA won the Optimist Nations Cup, which is scored according to the lowest sum of final ranks of its top four ranked sailors in the Optimist Individual World Championship. The top sailors for USA were Justin Callahan (8th), Zane Rogers (9th), Thomas Hall (10th), and Samuel Bruce (37th). Finishing second was Germany with Singapore in third.

Switzerland’s Max Wallenberg and Malta’s Victoria Schultheis

Nation’s Cup winners

Final Results (Top 10 of 255; 11 races, 1 discard)

Event details – Worlds results – Nation’s Cup results – Facebook

Schedule:
June 26-July 1 – Optimist Individual World Championship
July 2-3 – Optimist Team Racing World Championship

Source: Optimist World Championship