NATIONAL sailor Rachel Lee has clinched second spot at the just concluded IODA Optimist North American Championship (June 28-July 6) in Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles on Saturday (yesterday morning, Singapore time).

The 14-year-old finished joint-first in the 204-strong fleet with Puerto Rico’s Raul Rios on
17 points from 12 races.

But Rachel, who won the gold medal in the Optimist girls’ event at last December’s SEA Games in Thailand, was ranked second overall after Rios won the Regatta on countback, winning six races to the Singaporean’s five.

Singapore also f inished third overall in the team racing event with 185 points, behind winners Puerto Rico (76) and runners-up and hosts the Netherlands Antilles (157) in the 16- team event.

Rachel’s second-place finish capped a strong showing by Singapore at the Championship
— which featured 25 countries — where team-mates Russell Kan, Luke Tan and Darren Choy all finished in the top 20.

Russell, 15, finished fourth overall on 21 points, Luke, 15, was sixth (43) and Darren, 14, was
ranked 20th (97).

All four, together with teammate Andrew Tang, 12, will next head for the upcoming IODA Optimist World Championship in Cesme, Turkey from July 14-25.