Young Maltese Sailor Places Second In 54-Fleet Junior World Championship In Poland
Maltese sailor Richard Schultheis placed in an impressive second place at the 2021 Junior World Championships as the young athlete continues on his campaign towards competing in the next Olympic Games.
The five-day international competition was held in Gdynia, Poland with Schultheis, along with his sisters Antonia and Victoria, competing in the 49erFX category. The first three days consisted of a qualifying series before heading into a two-day final series.
For Richard and his teammate Max Korner, the Junior World Championships marked the first occasion the young athlete competed in the 49erFX category as he eyes another move to the 49er Olympic class ahead of the next Games held in Paris in 2024.
Despite having no previous experience in a competitive environment with the 49erFX dinghy, Schultheis managed to place in an impressive second out of a 54 boat fleet.
“The first day started off with strong winds of 12 to 16 knots and choppy waves while day two provided much calmer conditions with eight to 12 knots and fewer waves, only to pick up again on day three,” Malta Young Sailors Club said on Facebook.
Hindered by their light weight, Antonia and Victoria Schultheis finished the competition in a respectable 17th place. Nonetheless, the two sisters went on to win a bronze medal in the U21 division.
Richard Schultheis was named Malta’s 2020 Young Athlete of the Year and is considered to be one of Malta’s Olympic hopefuls in the future.
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