The 2026 Optimist World Championship Title
For the second consecutive year, the Optimist World Champion has won the title on a boat built by Cantiere Faccenda.
Brazilian Manuel Bragança won the 2026 Optimist World Championship, held in the waters of Tangier, Morocco, after twelve races involving 284 young sailors from all over the world.
Bragança finished the championship in first place overall, ahead of Swiss Elliot Novara, who took the silver medal, and Maltese Andrei Zhakov, who won the bronze medal.
A significant sporting achievement that also brings new satisfaction to our shipyard: the Optimist used by the winner was indeed built by Cantiere Faccenda.
Two Consecutive World Titles on Faccenda Optimists
The victory achieved in Morocco holds particular value for us because it follows the success also achieved in the 2025 Optimist World Championship.
For the second consecutive year, therefore, the World Champion's boat bears the signature of our shipyard.
This result confirms the quality of the work carried out daily in the design, construction, and tuning of our boats. Every Faccenda Optimist is born from the combination of craftsmanship, technical research, and experience gained directly on the race courses.
Marco Faccenda's Experience at the Service of Young Sailors
The history of Cantiere Faccenda is closely linked to the sporting career of Marco Faccenda, multiple world champion in the Vaurien class.
The experience gained at the highest levels of competitive sailing is transferred to the construction of every boat, with particular attention to hull precision, weight distribution, finish quality, and performance repeatability.
Over the years, Faccenda boats have participated in and won numerous world, European, and national championships, becoming a benchmark for racers, coaches, and sailing clubs.
«Seeing one of our boats win the Optimist World Championship for the second consecutive year is a source of immense pride. It is a result that rewards the hard work, attention to detail, and passion we put into building every hull. We thank Manuel, his team, and all the people who continue to choose and believe in our boats. For a small shipyard like ours, contributing to the success of young sailors from all over the world represents the greatest satisfaction.»
The 2026 Optimist World Championship Podium
The overall standings of the Tangier World Championship saw:
- Manuel Bragança – Brazil
- Elliot Novara – Switzerland
- Andrei Zhakov – Malta
In the women's classification, the title was won by Puerto Rican Ines Mendez-Larminaux, ahead of Margaux Nguyen-Minh from Hong Kong and Spain's Mara Peñalver.
Among the Italians, the best result was achieved by Andrea Demurtas, who finished the World Championship in fifth place overall.
A Victory Looking to the Future
The Optimist World Championship is one of the most important events in international youth sailing. For many athletes, it represents their first high-level competition and a fundamental stage in their sporting career.
Being chosen once again by the sailor who won the world title is an incentive for Cantiere Faccenda to continue improving, investing in experience, research, and construction quality.
The success in Tangier is not just another result to add to the shipyard's history: it is confirmation that artisanal expertise, sporting experience, and attention to detail can allow a small Italian company to compete at the highest levels of international sailing.
Discover Faccenda Optimists
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