Panamanian Ion Lowy at the international sailing tournament

For the second year in a row, Ion Lowy will be the sole representative Panama at the North American Championship for Optimists (OptiNams)which will be held in Old and beardedfrom July 2 to 9, and in which representatives from 13 countries, with 124 athletes, are expected to participate.

“I am proud to return to compete for Panama in this important race, for which I have been preparing under the guidance of the coaches of the Sea Masters Academy Panama, Guillermo Gasperi, who will be with me at this event,” said Lowy, just 14 years old.

He Optimizedst is an international class of light sailing ships recognized by FInternational Sailing Federation and whose governing body is International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA). It is considered the foundation of sailing, very popular with young people from 8 to 15 years old, for which it earned the title of the largest sailing class in the world, guaranteeing that many of the best sailors learned to sail on the Optimist.

The North American Championship is one of 6 continental competitions in the class IOD and an important goal for sailors who want to compete in the Annual world championship.

Gasper, known as Ambassador of navigation in Panama, highlighted the tireless work that Lowy is developing to keep the name of Panama at the top. He added that he was very persistent and disciplined, and in addition, last year’s participation in the Bahamas brought him great experience and maturity in this sport.

Antigua has a wealth of experience in these competitions, having hosted the event on two previous occasions, and in 2019 it was the home of the Optimist World Championship, setting records with 65 attendances.

The smallest delegation is Panama with only 1 athlete.