The Optimist South American Championship continued in Punta del Este on Wednesday, with Argentina’s Tomás Calvo extending his lead at the top of the standings after two more races were completed in Maldonado Bay. A fleet of 180 young sailors from 12 nations took to the water for the second day of fleet racing at the 54th edition of this prestigious youth sailing event, hosted by Yacht Club Punta del Este.
Conditions proved more favourable than the challenging opening day, with sunshine, south-southeasterly winds of six to eight knots and relatively calm seas replacing the light winds and strong currents that had tested competitors on Tuesday. The weaker current allowed the young sailors to concentrate on boat speed, tactical positioning and consistency across the racecourse.
The Race Committee completed two additional races, bringing the championship total to four. With the fourth race in the books, the first discard came into effect, allowing sailors to drop their worst result from their overall points total and triggering some notable shifts on the leaderboard.
Calvo was once again the standout performer, adding two race wins to his opening-day results. With three first-place finishes from four races, the Argentine now holds a commanding lead on just three net points.
Brazil’s Giovana Ribeiro delivered one of the strongest performances of the day, recording a third and a second-place finish to climb into second place overall with seven net points. Ribeiro is also the leading female sailor in the championship.
Speaking after racing, Ribeiro explained how the lighter conditions suited her sailing style. “I really enjoyed today’s racing because the wind was lighter, which is the kind of conditions I prefer. At the beginning, the wind was quite strong, but it gradually dropped and we were able to race. In these lighter conditions, you have to be very careful and always try to keep the boat moving as fast as possible. For the remaining races, I hope to maintain my position, and hopefully the stronger winds forecast won’t arrive,” said Ribeiro.
Argentina’s Tomás Molinari, who started the day in second place, remains firmly in contention for the title. He sits third overall with eight net points after recording a fourth and a third-place finish on Wednesday.
Ryan Lee of the United States moved into fourth place with eleven points, while Argentina’s Francisco Calabrese rounded out the top five on twelve points following second and eighth-place finishes. Storm Husky Kim of the United States holds sixth position on thirteen points, closely followed by Brazil’s Helena Echenique in seventh overall and second among the female sailors with fourteen points.
Brazil enjoyed a particularly strong day across the fleet. Felipe Miguez climbed to eighth place overall after posting two second-place finishes, while Pedro Crespo surged to ninth after winning both of his races on Wednesday. Chile’s Vicente Pérez completes the top ten with sixteen net points, highlighting just how tightly packed the leading positions remain.
The results underscore the depth of the Argentine and Brazilian teams, while competitors from the United States and Chile continue to press hard for the leading positions.
After four completed races, the championship is beginning to take shape, but with several races still scheduled, the standings remain wide open. Wednesday’s racing demonstrated how quickly positions can change, particularly with the introduction of the discard, which allowed several sailors to recover from difficult earlier results. Maintaining consistency and avoiding costly mistakes will be essential as the event moves towards its decisive stages.
The fleet racing programme is scheduled to feature up to ten races over four racing days, and the championship also includes a dedicated day of team racing, adding an extra dimension of tactical competition and teamwork. Racing activities continue through Saturday, 31 October, when the final results will be decided and an awards ceremony will celebrate the achievements of these young sailors.
With Argentina leading the overall standings and Brazil making significant gains on the second day, the battle for the South American title promises more exciting racing in the days ahead.
