Asuncion, IP Agency.-The National Secretariat of Sports, the Paraguayan Sailing Federation and the Paraguayan Olympic Committee officially launched the 2024 South American Optimist Championship to be held in the Department of Itapúa, from August 31 to September 7. The event will bring together 160 young sailors from 11 countries.
This championship, held annually, is one of the most eagerly awaited competitions in the region’s nautical calendar. In this edition, representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Uruguay, Ecuador, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico and Paraguay will participate, demonstrating their skill and passion for sailing in the waters of the Paraná River.
Bruno Zubizarreta, Director General of the SND Cabinet, said that “from the government, through the minister, it is a great pleasure to be able to support an event of this magnitude since Paraguay has managed to position itself with international events and this will happen again with this South American event.”
“We also applaud the Sailing Federation for achieving the decentralization of the sport, in different parts of the country, not just in Asunción. Needless to say, they have the full support of the SND, not only financially but also with the human team that we have, one with a lot of experience to logistically support important events.”
The AguaVista Club, where the event will take place, will offer competitors and attendees an unrivalled experience, combining a privileged natural environment with first-class facilities. Encarnación, known as “The Pearl of the South”, has become a leading destination for sports tourism, and the organisation of the championship reinforces its position on the international scene.
The representative of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, Juan Carlos Orihuela, congratulated the organization of the event. “Congratulations, even more so because it will be a test event where youth, those kids who are just starting out, can compete in a very important championship. It is the path we are looking for to be a great breeding ground and leave Paraguay in a very high position,” he said.
Francisco Leri, Director of the Competition, said that “the Championship is a transcendental continental event since the International Optimist Association and all its member countries authorized Paraguay to host the 2024 South American continental championship.”
“These kids, aged between 12 and 15, have almost 90 people involved, including race judges, race officials, and the entire safety team on the water and on land. It is worth noting that Suda was selected as a test event by the organisation of the 2025 ASU Games, in preparation for the Junior Pan American Games,” he said.
All delegations will arrive in the country starting on August 24. The races, which will begin on Monday, September 2, will be sailed between 11:00 and 16:00; with three races per day. In addition to the individual races, there will be team races and the Nations Cup. “These are two competitions within a mega competition,” said Leri.
The South American Optimist Championship was declared of National Interest by the National Secretariat of Sports, SENATUR, the Government of Itapúa and the city of Encarnación.
The competition days will be open to the public, offering the local community and visitors a unique opportunity to be part of this nautical spectacle. A large number of visitors are expected, who will also be able to enjoy the various cultural and tourist activities that Encarnación has to offer.
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2024-08-22 17:45:09