Zimmerman has last ‘Optimist’ laugh

Zimmerman, of Peru, ended the tournament on 35.5 points to claim the individual crown, with Brazilian Alencastro who held the lead on Friday, finishing with 40 points.

The victory was even sweeter for Zimmerman, and the Peruvians in particular, who had prevailed in the team contest on Wednesday and Thursday.

Third place in the individual standings went to American Colin Smith with 41 points while the Trinidad and Tobago pair of Anthony Alkins (53.5) and Matthew Scott (65) were fourth and fifth respectively.

Rounding off the top 10 were Jose Arigos of Argentina (82), Elijah Simmons of Bermuda (96), Sean Moynahan of the United States (97), teammate James Pottharst (100) and another James, Leighton of Trinidad and Tobago (103).

In Race 11A yesterday, American Bo McCarthy was victorious, with countryman Smith, Puerto Rican Jose Nigaglioni, Peruvian Matias Rengifo and Alkins trailing. Arigos captured Race 11B, followed by local representative Leighton, another Argentinian Juan Biava, his namesake Venezuelan Juan Pacheco and Pottharst.

On Friday, Zimmerman and Argentina’s Francisco Cosentino were joint winners of Race 9A, with Venezuela’s Victor De Leon, Moynahan and Argentina’s Tomas Dietrich next, while Scott ended in seventh place.

Scott crossed the finish line first in Race 10A, followed by Jordan Saints of Bermuda, Guilherme Pereira of Brazil, Saints’ brother Jason and another Bermudan Cameron Pimentel, with TT’s Leighton in sixth spot.

And, in Race 10B, Cosentino prevailed, ahead of the American pair of Patrick Bryan and Smith, Zimmerman and American Anne Haegar, while Alkins was a distant 17th.

Some of the participants of the week-long event will be involved in the 2005 Worlds, from July 25 to August 5 in Switzerland. The 2006 North American tournament is expected to take place in Puerto Rico.