Bermuda’s youth sailors held their own during the opening day of racing at the Optimist World Championship in Riva del Garda, Italy, yesterday.

PJ Rodrigues was the island’s top sailor on the day with impressive finishes of 22nd and 29th in the first two races of the six-race qualifying series competing in the Green Fleet. That left the Mount St Agnes student 89th among an overall fleet of 259 sailors from 56 countries.

Jordan Vieira and Ethan Thompson also sailed consistently among their respective Red and Yellow fleets.

Vieira had finishes of 33rd and 24th that left him in 102nd, while Thompson sits in 135th after placing 36th in both races contested in the steady southerly breezes.

Kipling Rossouw placed 55th and 30th competing in the Green Fleet and Jack Adderley 40th and 59th in the Blue Fleet, which left them 175th and 216th respectively.

“Today saw a typical Garda Ora wind, blowing steadily from the south at approximately 12 knots,” Kymette Rossouw, the team representative, said.

“They are all holding their own and proud to be here representing Bermuda, their coaches and their clubs.

“It is quite something to see with almost 300 young sailors heading out on to the lake in the Optimist class.”

Meanwhile, Gil Hackel, of the United States, and Noppassorn Khunboonjan, of Thailand, topped the boys and girls fleets after the opening day.