Howth's Rocco Wright in Top Ten in Optimist Worlds

7th July 2021

Ireland’s Opti star Rocco Wright prefers a breeze, but today on Lake Garda he had to contend with a fading wind in the first two races of the finals for the Worlds 2021 Credit: Capizzano Photography/Optimist Worlds

A slowly fading southerly breeze on Lake Garda today - declining from an initial 10 knots - favoured early fleet leaders in the three day finals of the Optimist Worlds 2021, and the USA’s Gil Hackel found extra speed to log an impressive first and second to put him ahead of the winner of the qualifying championship, Thailand’s Weka Bhanubandh, who posted 17-11 but holds on to second overall.

Continuing in third is Brazil’s Alex Di Francesco Kuhl with a 12-12. while Ireland’s Rocco Wright of Howth Yacht Club - lying fifth overall going into the finals - had to re-include his previously-discarded 19th from the qualifying series, for although he took a 10th in today’s first race, he was one of the victims of the fading breeze in the second, and notched a now-discarded 51st. However, currently on 40 points, he stays in the top ten at 9th overall in a total fleet of 259 boats.

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WM Nixon

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William M Nixon has been writing about sailing in Ireland for many years in print and online, and his work has appeared internationally in magazines and books. His own experience ranges from club sailing to international offshore events, and he has cruised extensively under sail, often in his own boats which have ranged in size from an 11ft dinghy to a 35ft cruiser-racer. He has also been involved in the administration of several sailing organisations.

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