2019 Optimist African Championship |30 August 2019
Team sailing off the coast of Ile Persévérance
Angola 2 win team racing
Angola’s second team are the champions of the2019 Optimist team racing African championship held yesterday off the coast of Ile Persévérance in Seychelles.
In second place was another team from Angola, while third place went to Mozambique.
All teams were made up of four sailors and hosts Seychelles fielded two teams. Team one comprising Fabio Bertola-Thevenon, Yves Fock-Heng, Dean Mathiot and Luca Marzocchi finished fifth overall, while team two made up of Stephanie Lalande, Laurent Contoret, Jakira Radegonde and Travis Ho-Peng were ranked eighth.
Altogether there were 20 races.
On the eve of the competition, Chris Atkins conducted a team racing seminar for the kids. This talk taught the young sailors the basics of team racing strategy, the rules and how the points work.
Meanwhile, individual racing resumes today with three races followed by the final three tomorrow counting for the Optimist individual African championship. Competition starts at 12 noon.
Angolan Fernando Sapalo is in first position after five races with seven points after his worst finish – 10th place in the second race – had been discarded.
His compatriots Ronâncio Paulo (seven points) and Wilson Camota (12 points) are second and third respectively.
Luca Marzocchi is Seychelles’ highest ranked sailor (16th position with 59 points), followed by Yves Fock-Heng (17th with 60 points), Fabio Bertola-Thevenon (26th with 91 points), Dean Mathiot (27th with 98 points), Stephanie Lalande (36th with 122 points), Laurent Contoret (40th with 141 points), Jakira Radegonde (41st with 152 points) and Travis Ho-Peng (42nd with 160 points).
Angolan Joana Brito is the leading female sailor with 25 points for seventh place overall. Two other Angolans – Aline Lourenço (12th overall with 49 points) and Victoria Camota (18th position with 72 points) – are the second and third best female sailors.
Three races were held on the first day on Tuesday, but only two could be completed on Wednesday in light winds.
Although 12 individual races have been earmarked for the championship, the organisers have said that if it happens that the wind does not blow at the expected speed and races cannot take place, the championship has already been validated as they have been able to complete five races. This means prizes could be presented to the best sailors on the ranking.
G. G.
