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Garda Optimist Meeting

IT IS OFFICIAL - 1073 Optimist sailors make it a Guinness World Record

Lake Garda, Italy
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IT IS OFFICIAL - 1073 Optimist sailors make it a Guinness World Record

April 6

view of the fleet in Garda

Earlier today Lucia Sinigagliesi from Guinness, officially ratified that Fraglia Vela Riva achieved the record for the largest sailing regatta of a single class.

The sailors were already racing in welcome sunshine and an early morning breeze, unaware that they were now record holders. 1073 entries from 25 countries and 3 continents - all sailing Optimists.

The Garda meeting has always been a large Optimist regatta but the organisers, in an effort to make the 30th edition one to remember, decided that a record attempt should be made. Their hard work has been rewarded and FragliaVela Riva should be commended for making this event such a success.

Next year, 2013, the club will be hosting the International Optimist World Championships and they have clearly demonstrated that this will be a remarkable event.

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As Easter approaches a number of major Optimist regattas are making final preparations for what is in many countries the start of the season. In Europe, the largest of these is the Garda Optimist meeting 5-8 April. This year is the 30th edition and the 1000th entry has already been received. A special commission will be arriving in Riva del Garda to officially certify a new Guinness World Record ­ if successful, the Garda meeting will officially become the regatta with the largest number of single class boats participating, in the world.

view of the fleet in Garda
Photo: © Giovanni de Sandre