2021 Optimist World Championship at Fraglia Vela Riva, Lake Garda - Overall
by Optimist Worlds 2021 Riva del Garda 9 Jul 2021 20:47 BST
30 June - 10 July 2021
Brazilian Alex Di Francesco Kuhl wins the 2021 Optimist World Championship © Zerogradinord
Today a new name is written in the golden books of the Optimist World Champions, which comes after that of Marco Gradoni, winner of the last three editions. It is the name of the Brazilian sailor Alex Di Francesco Kuhl, who won the title over a fleet of 259 sailors who arrived in Riva del Garda representing 57 nations.
A victory that came at the end of a long and open battle with the American Gil Hackel, the first to congratulate the winner with a long hug, which was resolved only on the finish line of the last race, when Kuhl managed to leave behind the American sailor with only 5 points of margin.
"An incredible emotion to win the World Championship, so far from home, in my last year of activity in the Optimist Class. It was a wonderful Championship, I want to congratulate all my opponents with whom the challenges have been fantastic" commented Di Francesco Kuhl on the sidelines of the race course before letting go of his excitement during a phone call with his mother, who remained in Brazil.
The Optimist world title therefore arrives in Brazil for the first time in the history of this well-known class. In 1991, the Nation had won the Team World Championship and contributing to Brazil's success, racing between the marks, was Rodrigo Amado, who today is coach of the Brazilian team and accompanied Alex Di Francesco Kuhl towards this important success.
The local sailor Alex Demurtas climbed on the podium to third place after a good comeback on the last day of racing.
The top ten of the 2021 Optimist World Championship, hosted by Fraglia Vela Riva, is as follows: 1. Alex Di Francesco Kuhl (BRA, pt. 54), 2. Gil Hackel (USA, pt. 59), 3. Alex Demurtas (ITA, pt. 79), 4. Tim Lubat (ESP, pt, 87), 5. Weka Bhanubandh (THA, pt. 88), 6. Quan Adriano Cardi (ITA, pt. 88), 7. Lomane Valade (FRA, pt. 97, female World Champion), 8. Danyl Mykhailichenko (UKR, pt. 105), 9. Lucas Cochi Kubelka De Freitas (BRA, pt. 106), 10. Lisa Vucetti (ITA, pt. 108).
The women's podium is composed of Lomane Valade (FRA), gold medal, Lisa Vucetti (ITA), silver, and Marisa Alejandra Vicens (ESP) bronze.
The event at Riva del Garda has proved to be a very successful edition for the Optimist World Championship. At the end of the award ceremony, which was held at 6.30pm at Fraglia Vela Riva, the baton is handed over between the Italian organizers and the Turkish team, which in 2022 will host the world championship event in Bodrum.
The 2021 Optimist World Championship is hosted by Fraglia Vela Riva in collaboration with FIV, IODA, AICO, Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, North Lake Garda and Trentino.
All updates on the racing are being published on the Optimist World Championship 2021 website at 2021worlds.optiworld.org