Bermuda are among a record fleet competing at this year’s Optimist World Championship in Thailand.

The island’s five-member squad arrived in Asia this week, where they will be keen to do themselves and the island proud.

The team is comprised of Sebastian Kempe, Jack Hildebrand, Christian Ebbin, Jordan Etemadi and Rian Geraghty-McDonnell and will compete among a record field of 280 sailors from 62 countries.

“We would like to thank all of our strategic partners and sponsors to make the Optimist World Championship 2017 such a massive draw for competitors,” Thomas Whitcraft, the Optimist World Championship president, said. “This is a record-breaker in terms of the number of sailors competing here and the number of countries represented.

“This year is notable also for the number of Asian countries taking place after several years of absence. It is exciting for us as a country also to be able to see young Thai sailors competing with the best the world has to offer in Optimist competitors.”

The Optimist World Championship will take place from July 11-21 at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club with all racing to be contested in the Gulf of Thailand, situated between the mainland and Koh Larn.

The event comprises of two championships; the Optimist Individual World Championship and the Optimist Team Racing World Championship.

Kempe, Ebbin and Geraghty-McDonnell represented Bermuda at the recent Optimist North American Championship hosted by the Royal Canadian Yacht Club in Toronto.

Geraghty-McDonnell was the top island’s performer after finishing sixth in an overall fleet of nearly 200 entries.

Kempe was the second highest local sailor at the event and 20th overall. Magnus Ringstead rounded off the top three local entries in 58th overall.

Also representing Bermuda in Toronto were Aiden Lopes, Leyli Walker, Laura Hupman, Nicole Stovell and Thomas Evans. Lopes warmed up for the event with an impressive third place among a 32-strong international O’Pen Bic fleet at last month’s America’s Cup Endeavour Junior Regatta on the Great Sound.