Bermuda’s sailors will be keen to build on their momentum during the final day of racing at the Optimist European Championships in Cádiz, Spain, today.

Yesterday saw Sophia Dias, Riley Lowe, Cody Rans and Trystan Hocking make subtle headway in their respective fleets competing in strong winds exceeding 30 knots which put their skills to the test.

Dias and Lowe, who are both competing in the girls Silver fleet, jumped from 86th to 84th and 102nd to 101st respectively. Dias had finishes of 14th and 38th and Lowe 18th and 59th.

Rans and Hocking, who are both competing in the boys Bronze fleet, climbed from 141st to 138th and 149th to 147th.

Rans placed 23rd and Hocking 30th in the opening race in the final series before the blustery conditions forced the race committee to postpone the day’s remaining race.

“A better showing for the team today despite winds that exceeded 30 knots by mid afternoon,” Jacob Hocking, the Bermuda team leader said.

“Sophia had a great start in the first race and was comfortably in third place until she capsized in the rough seas. She managed to recover and placed fourteenth.

“By her second race, the winds had increased further and she capsized on the reach and despite her efforts lost too many places to recover and had to settle for 38th.

“Riley had a great first race, placing 18th but was over the line at the start in the second and was disqualified.

“Cody and Trystan both did better, placing 24th and 31st respectively in the first race. But by their second the winds had increased so much that the race committee decided to end racing for the day and the fleet came in.”

Rans is making his debut at an International Optimist Dinghy Association event, while Lowe, Dias and Hocking are fresh from competing at the Optimist North American Championships in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.

Spaniard Xavier Garcia Olle and Turkey’s Firdevs Yegin lead the boys and girls fleets heading into today’s final day of racing.