The twelve-year-old Croat Filip Matikist succeeded in what only very few have achieved in 41 years before him. He defended his title at the Optimist World Championship in Las Palmas on Gran Canari, which he had won last year as the youngest sailor ever.
He won against 220 competitors from 41 nations with a huge advantage of 21 points.
He won ahead of Jesse Kirkland from Bermuda and the Argentinian Sebastian Peri Brusa. The Briton Hannah Mills won the girls' rating as fifth overall.
Croatia is also ahead in the nations' ranking of the best four boats, followed by the British team and Argentina. The Poles are also strong in fourth place ahead of Italy and Greece. The German team placed 23rd between Uruguay and China.
Top Ten:1. Filip Matika, CRO, 44 points2. Jesse Kirkland, BER, 653. Sebastian Peri Brusa, ARG, 694. Tomasz Januszewski, POL, 785. Hannah Mills, GBR, 816. Joaquin Blanco, ESP, 927. Ryutaro Kawai, JPN, 958. Jason Spanomanolis, GRE, 1009. Nicklas Dackhammar, SWE, 10410. Richard Mason, GBR, 11
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