The 2026 Optimist World Championship has wrapped up in Tangier with record numbers, a landmark African hosting milestone, and a commanding performance from Brazil's Manuel Bragança, who claimed the world title with a net score of 65 points.
Bragança's victory at the Royal Tangier Yacht Club earned him both the Beacon Challenge Cup as first sailor overall and the Peter Barclay Trophy as first boy. Switzerland's Elliot Novara finished second overall on 89 points, with Andrei Zhakhov of Malta third on 98 points.
The event drew 284 sailors from 70 nations and regions, a record for the championship. It was also only the second time the Optimist Worlds has been held in Africa, the first being 30 years ago at Langebaan, South Africa, in 1996.
World Sailing President Quanhai Li attended and spoke to the significance of the occasion. "A strong Optimist division is important for a strong sport overall. For many it is their first introduction to the sport and to have such a thriving World Championship shows that the future of sailing is bright." Li thanked the Royal Tangier Yacht Club and Royal Moroccan Sailing Federation for providing what he described as a platform for young sailors "to perform at such a high level, learn from each other and build bonds that transcend competition."
In the girls' division, Ines Mendez-Larminaux of Puerto Rico was the standout, finishing sixth overall on 120 points to claim the Helen Mary Wilkes Trophy. Margaux Nguyen-Minh of Hong Kong, China, placed 14th overall with 184 points, and Spain's Mara Peñalver was 20th on 215 points to complete the female podium.
Spain secured the IODA Challenge Cup, the Optimist Team Race World Championship title, for the third consecutive year, confirming their tactical consistency at world level.
Brazil also took the Jacobsen Trophy for the top national team, accumulating 929 combined points. The score was calculated from the results of Manuel Bragança, João Lucena, Arthur Lamin, and Thomas Piras de Oliveira.
