Sailing-Young sailors gain experience at African Optimist Championship |11 August 2010

Led by Alain Alcindor, the Seychelles team comprised four sailors – Ryan Domingue, Guilly Esther, Alison Hoareau and Sophola himself. The young sailors gained much-needed experience and are expected to perform much better in their next international outing.

Sophola finished 37th overall and 26th in the boys’ category with 288 points. Domingue was ranked 53rd overall to take 38th position in the boys’ class (467 points) and Esther was 58th overall (41st among the boys with 502 points).

A total of 48 male sailors took part in the championship won by Tanzanian Nielsen Tarick with 69 points.

Second was Kenyan Maxim Sanders (109 points) and third Paulo Amaral of Angola (126 points).

With 520 points, Hoareau finished 61st overall and 11th out of 14 in the girls’ class won by Algerian Imane Cherif Sahraoui with 68 points. Greek Illiana Boura (73 points) and Tunisian Ines Gmati (156) completed the medals podium.

In the team racing dominated by Algeria, Seychelles finished sixth out of 12.

The team would like to thank sponsors the Children’s Fund, JD’s Stationery, the National Sports Council, Mohan Shopping Centre and New Design Studio for making their trip a success.

G. G.