The curtain came down last weekend on the competitions of the Optimist World Championship 2026, which was hosted by the city of Tangier, with the participation of hundreds of young sailors coming from more than 70 countries, in one of the largest maritime sports events that Morocco has hosted in recent years.
The final day witnessed the last races before the winners’ award ceremony, where Brazilian Manuel Bragança was crowned World Champion after topping the overall standings, ahead of Swiss Elliot Novara in second place, while third place went to Maltese Andrei Zakoff.
In the female category, Puerto Rican Inés Méndez-Larmino stole the spotlight after being crowned world champion, in a historic achievement as she is the first competitor from Puerto Rico to win this title. Her brilliance was not limited to the female competitions, as she finished the championship in sixth place overall, confirming her position among the best young sailors in the world.
The championship featured strong competition among 284 sailors representing more than 70 countries, as the waters of Tangier Bay hosted races characterized by challenges due to changing wind directions and sea currents, making the competition open until the last day.
The championship also included team racing competitions, which were won by the Spanish team after defeating Turkey in the final, while Argentina secured third place, confirming the dominance of European and South American schools in this category.
The event concluded with an official ceremony held at the Royal Yacht Club in Tangier, attended by officials from the International Sailing Federation, the Royal Moroccan Sailing Federation, and sports personalities, where trophies and medals were awarded to the winners in a festive atmosphere, following Morocco’s successful organization of a version that received praise from participants and foreign delegations.
