Sam Stan was the overall winner of the Bermuda Optimist Dinghy Association's Fall Series.

And now the youngster will lead Bermuda's charge at the 2010 South American Optimist Championships in Punta del Este, Uruguay, from March 25 to April 4.

Stan will be joined by Ferdinand Arnold, Rory Caslin, Ceci Wollmann, Ellie Wollmann and Mikey Wollmann in Uruguay along with coach Pablo Sanguinetti.

The advanced fleet in the Fall Series completed 43 races and finishing second to Stan was Owen Siese while Makai Joell placed third.

The top girl was Ellie Wollmann, who finished fifth overall.

The intermediate fleet completed 25 races and first place went to Christian Chin Gurret followed by Kenneth Young in second and Chase Cooper in third.

The prize-giving of the Fall Series, which was sponsored by Aspen Re, was staged on Sunday night at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.

The sailors' coaches, Paul Doughty of RBYC and Sanguinetti of RHADC, selected Ferdinand Arnold as the most improved sailor in the advanced fleet with special recognition given to Jacob Greene and Ceci Wollmann.

Nicolas Siese was selected as the most improved sailor in the intermediate fleet with special recognition to Chase Cooper and Christian Chin Gurret and the coaches also chose Owen Siese as recipient of the Sportsmanship Award which is given for the person exhibiting the highest level of sportsmanship and seamanship.