Loh Jia Yi of Singapore in action during the World Optimist Championships. He dominated the field to win by 28 points with a 13-point total. (Photo © Matias Capizzano)
Riva del Garda, Italy, Thursday, July 25, 2013 – Singapore sailors swept all four titles on offer at the 2013 World Optimist Championship. Our sailors won two individual titles, the team racing title and the Nations Cup.
Loh Jiayi, 15, was crowned world champion after he comprehensively beat a field of 259 sailors aged 15 and below from 58 nations. He had a low of 13 points after he won six races, was second in two and third in another, while discarding a 23rd finish, to finish a whopping 28 points ahead of closest challenger, the German Nils Sternbeck who had 40 points. (Overall points are calculated by adding up the finishing positions.)
Another Singaporean, Edward Tan, 14, was just behind in third with 41 points. A third Singaporean, Koh Yi Kun, 14, was sixth overall with 64 points.
Said Jiayi: “I feel really honoured to have been able to race in this highly prestigious event. Winning the Champion’s title is simply an amazing feeling – all the years of hard work put into training and racing in various international events have certainly paid off. This year’s Worlds was definitely no easy feat, but I think our team did well together as a team. Much thanks and appreciation to our coach Fernando Alegre, who made us the sailors we are today.”
Singapore’s Bertha Han, 15, topped the female standings with 54 points which was also good for fourth overall. Her teammate, Fathin Rasyiqin Mohd Firdaus, 14, finished second behind her with 111 points, which also placed her 24th overall.
In 2012, Singapore’s Elisa Yukie Yokoyama, Samuel Neo and Jessica Goh claimed first, second and third overall positions respectively.
Said Bertha Han: “I feel that we have done really well together as a team – we had a common goal and worked hard towards it as one single unit. I’m happy to have won the Optimist Female World Champion title, and I am really thankful for my family and friends, who supported me in everything I did.
“I’m really glad that I had this opportunity to sail for Singapore and that even though the competition was challenging and tough, as a team we did the best we could and managed to overcome all the obstacles presented to us. Lastly, much credit goes to our coach Fernando Alegre, who gave us plenty of guidance and tips.”
Singapore also won the Nations Cup in overwhelming fashion, finishing 270 points ahead of Germany who amassed 442 points. Italy were third with 457. (The points are calculated based on the aggregate score of all five sailors in each team.)
“The team has achieved the seemingly impossible in defending all four world titles,” said Rupert Ong, the vice-president of high performance at Singapore Sailing Federation. “Heartiest congratulations to all sailors, coaches, manager and also the sailing and sporting community back home who have contributed to this achievement. Our young sailors have shown that with hard work, they can climb to the top. This will inspire our next batch of juniors.
“For the graduating group, they still have the year end SEA Games to look forward to, before moving onto the youth and Olympic classes proper. If they apply the same resolve and remain grounded, they will taste success again in the youth and Olympic classes for sure!”
The sailors will be returning home to Singapore on Saturday, July 27, at 8.55pm on flight EK404 at Terminal One, Changi Airport.
2013 World Optimist Championships – full results
2013 Optimist Nations Cup – full results
The Singapore team finished as world champions when they beat Italy in two out of three races in the finals. From left to right: Fathin Rasyiqin Mohd Firdaus, Edward Tan, Koh Yi Kun, coach Fernando Alegre, Bertha Han and Loh Jia Yi. (Photo 2 © Matias Capizzano. Courtesy of SingaporeSailing)
[…] Jia Yi, 15, was crowned world Optimist champion after he comprehensively beat a field of 259 sailors aged 15 and below from 58 nations at the 2013 […]