Record turnout anticipated for Optimist World Championship

Thailand will host the Optimist World Championship 2017, with the anticipated participation of a total of 62 sailing nations and 280 sailors, a record-breaking landmark for this world stage event. The event will take place off Pattaya Beach on July 11-21 at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club (RVYC) in Pattaya.

“This is a record-breaker in terms of the number of sailors competing here and the number of countries represented,” confirms Thomas Whitcraft, President of the Optimist World Championship 2017. “This year is notable also for the number of Asian countries taking place after several years of absence. They include China, Macau, Taiwan (officially called Chinese Taipei), Myanmar, Indonesia, India and the UAE. Several teams will also travel from the South American continent, including Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Uruguay and Chile.”

The Optimist World Championship comprises two ‘championships’, the OPTIMIST INDIVIDUAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (IWC) and the OPTIMIST TEAM RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (TRWC).

“It is exciting for us as a country also to be able to see young Thai sailors competing with the best the world has to offer in Optimist competitors,” said Whitcraft. “Young Thai sailors competing in the event include Saranwong Poonpat, Intira Parnpiboon, Panwa Boonnak, Paliga Poonpat and Jedtavee Yongyuennarn.”

The racing area is located immediately offshore from the Yacht Club in the Gulf of Thailand, between the mainland and Koh Larn. Optimist Dinghy sailors typically start at the age of 7 or 8 and continue to 15 years of age. More than 85% of all sailors who participated in the Rio Olympics sailed in Optimist dinghies when they were young.

Event details: http://2017worlds.optiworld.org/en/default/races/race

Source: Narumon Prapawong