Chanatip Tongglum (THA) crowned 2022 Optimist Asian Champion + Levi Harrison (AUS) new 2022 Oceanian Champion

The 2022 Asian & Oceanian Championship that took place in Mumbai, India, from December 13 to 20th has just wrapped up after completing 9 races of fleet racing over 4 days.

101 sailors from 13 nations (AUS, BEL, HKG, IND, JPN, MAS, MRI, SGP, SRI, THA, TPE, UAE, and USA) competed in the championship. 9 teams were from Asia, 3 teams were international, and AUS was the only team from Oceania.

THA has been the top team at this championship over the past few years, but SGP has come back stronger than ever, placing 5 sailors in the top 10 overall.

Thailand, however, still has their grip on the Optimist Asian trophy with Chanatip Tongglum (THA) becoming the 2022 Optimist Asian Champion and the gold medalist finishing 15 points ahead of Ethan Chia from SGP who took the silver medal and 2nd overall.

Just 2 points behind Chia were teammates Nicole Lim, the top Asian girl and top overall girl at the championship taking the bronze medal and third place overall. She was tied in points with Amos Tham (SGP) who finished 4th overall and just off the podium.

In 5th overall was Prin Subying (THA), 2nd girl from Asia and 2nd girl overall followed by Isabel Veiga Thiesfeldt (USA) in 6th place and 3rd girl overall. The 3rd Asian girl at the championship was Shion Suzuki (JPN) in 11th place.

Five girls finished in the top 15 places in the championship, which shows the depth of Opti female talent in the region.

The 2022 Oceanian Champion was awarded to Levi Harrison (AUS), followed by teammates Saxon Foggo (AUS) in second and Heidi Bates (AUS) in third. She was awarded the top girl from Oceania.

The 2022 Asian & Oceanian Championship Team Racing Championship took place midway during the week. Teams from IND, SRI, AUS, TPE, HKG, JPN, THA, USA, SGP competed in the event.

The final standings for the 2022 Optimist Asian & Oceanian Team Racing Championship are:

• Gold: SGP 1
• Silver THA 1
• Bronze: JPN 1

COVID 19 has had a huge impact on the attendance of this championship and still does so today. Teams that would normally be participating such as CHN, KOR, NZL, OMA were absent again this year.

However, it was great to see teams from AUS, TPE, HKG, MAS and SRI, who had been away for 2+ years, back for the 2022 Asian and Oceanian Championship.

We hope that next year for the 2023 Asian and Oceanian Championship in Abu Dhabi that more teams from Asia and Oceania will be able to travel and attend the event.

IODA would like to thank our member, the National Optimist Association of India, for stepping up to successfully organize this event on such short notice after the original 2022 organizer was unable to do so due to COVID.

We look forward to coming back to India in 2024.

For full results, media coverage and images go to the Event Microsite here.