2026 Optimist South American Championship - Day 2
by International Optimist Dinghy Association 28 Oct 17:23 PDT
October 25 - November 1, 2026
Argentina's Tomás Calvo strengthened his position at the top of the 54th Optimist South American Championship after another impressive performance on Wednesday, as 180 young sailors from 12 nations completed two more races in the waters of Maldonado Bay.
Hosted by Yacht Club Punta del Este, the championship enjoyed more favourable sailing conditions on its second day of fleet racing, with sunshine, south-southeasterly winds ranging from six to eight knots and relatively calm seas providing the setting for another day of closely contested competition.
Following Tuesday's challenging opening day, which was marked by light winds and strong currents, Wednesday brought more stable conditions and a noticeably weaker current, allowing the young competitors to focus on boat speed, tactical positioning and consistency.
Two more races completed in Maldonado Bay
The fleet returned to the racecourse off Punta del Este for another demanding day of competition, with sailors facing a gentle but relatively steady breeze and little wave action.
Although conditions were more predictable than on the opening day, the light winds continued to reward sailors who could maintain their speed, identify small wind shifts and make the right tactical decisions.
The Race Committee successfully completed two additional races, bringing the championship total to four races.
With the fourth race completed, the first discard came into effect, allowing sailors to exclude their worst score from their overall points total and introducing some significant changes to the leaderboard.
Calvo remains on top as Brazil moves up the standings
Tomás Calvo of Argentina continued his impressive start to the championship, adding two bullets to his opening-day results.
With three first-place finishes from four races, Calvo now leads the overall standings with just three net points, establishing an early advantage over his closest rivals.
Behind him, Giovana Ribeiro of Brazil 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 Giovana Ribeiro of Brazil.
Argentina's Tomás Molinari, who began the day in second place, remains firmly in contention for the title, sitting third overall with eight net points after recording a fourth and a third-place finish on Wednesday.
The United States' Ryan Lee has moved into fourth place with eleven points, while Argentina's Francisco Calabrese completes the top five with twelve points following second and eighth-place finishes.
Storm Husky Kim of the United States occupies sixth position with thirteen points, closely followed by Brazil's Helena Echenique, who is seventh overall and the second female sailor in the standings with fourteen points.
Brazil also enjoyed a particularly successful day across the fleet. Felipe Miguez moved into eighth place overall after recording two second-place finishes, while Pedro Crespo climbed to ninth after winning both of his races on Wednesday.
Chile's Vicente Pérez completes the top ten with sixteen net points, demonstrating how closely contested the leading positions remain.
The results underline the strength of the Argentine and Brazilian teams, while competitors from the United States and Chile continue to challenge for the leading positions.
Consistency will be key as the Championship progresses
After four completed races, the competition is beginning to take shape, but with several races still scheduled, the standings remain 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 results earlier in the championship.
With the fleet competing in light-wind conditions, maintaining consistent performances and avoiding costly mistakes will remain essential as the championship moves towards its decisive stages.
Racing continues in Punta del Este
The 54th Optimist South American Championship continues in Punta del Este, with the fleet racing programme scheduled to feature up to ten races over four racing days.
The championship also includes a dedicated day of team racing, bringing an additional element of tactical competition and teamwork to the event.
Racing activities will continue through Saturday, 31 October, when the championship's final results are scheduled to be decided and the awards ceremony will celebrate the achievements of the 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.
Full Results can be found here