More than fifty nations registered for the 2021 Optimist World Championship

Optimist World Championship 2021 © IOCA

There is just over a month to go before the start of the most awaited youth sailing event in the international sailing world, the Optimist World Championship. After the postponement of the regatta in 2020, Riva del Garda is getting ready to welcome the best young sailors in the world.

With registrations still open, fifty nations have already confirmed their presence for the World Championship that will start on Wednesday 30 June in the waters of Lake Garda, Italy. With qualifications, team racing and finals, the participants will be engaged in an intense series of races which will end on July 10th, when the winner of the 2021 Optimist World Championship will be announced, successor in the roll of honour to Marco Gradoni, the record holder in the Optimist Class for having sealed three Optimist World Championship titles in a row.

There is an air of great positivity in the host venue, Fraglia Vela Riva, and among all the members of the Organizing Committee. After the necessary postponement in 2020, the organizational machine is working at full speed to give life to a fun, safe and memorable edition for all participants.

The President of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi Roberto Pellegrini commented, "The confirmation of this important sporting event allows us to restart the organisation with renewed enthusiasm, to bring to Riva del Garda a firm opportunity to relaunch and enhance the region, in line with the mission of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, which supports and promotes the economy of Northern Garda through trade fairs and congress activities. This leads us to forge alliances like this by making available, in synergy with all the people involved, our know-how in hospitality and event organization as well as the space of the Congress Center which will be useful for guaranteeing optimal logistics."

The words of the President of Garda Trentino, Marco Benedetti, are also positive: "Finally, one of the most important events in the international sailing scene is back at Riva del Garda. This is a great milestone not only for Fraglia Vela Riva, but also for the whole of Garda Trentino. Sailing has always represented one of the strengths of our tourist offering and this result is a further crowning of the intense work of synergies that has been carried out in the area for decades."

The 2021 Optimist World Championship is organized by Fraglia Vela Riva, Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, Garda Trentino and AICO - the Italian Optimist Class Association.

Find out more at 2021worlds.optiworld.org