Optimist World Championship 2021
Brazilian Alex Di Francesco Kuhl is the new World Champion
French Lomane Valade is the winner in the female ranking
A new name is written in the Golden books of the Optimist World Champions, which comes after to that of Marco Gradoni, winner of the last three editions: it is the name of the Brazilian Alex Di Francesco Kuhl, who a few minutes ago he won the World 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 athlete 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 regattas before letting go of the 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 himself, who today is coach of the Brazilian team and accompanied Alex Di Francesco Kuhl towards this important success.
The local athlete Alex Demurtas climbs on the podium in third place, protagonist of 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).
The event of Riva del Garda has proved to be a very successful edition for the Optimist World Championship: at the end of the award ceremony, which will be held at 6.30pm at Fraglia Vela Riva, the baton will be 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.
