Trystan Hocking and PJ Rodrigues made significant gains on the Gold Fleet leaderboard on the penultimate day of racing at the Optimist North American Championship in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico yesterday.

Hocking finished tenth to jump from 31st to 26th in the standings and Rodrigues 25th to move from 38th to 36th respectively in the only race contested due to lack of wind.

Somersfield Academy student Hocking, 13, has led the Bermuda contingent in Mexico since the start of the regatta and is one of seven team members making their debut at the event.

His goal is to secure a top 40 finish, which he remains firmly on course to achieve.

Mount St Agnes student Rodrigues, 14, is making his second appearance at the championship and is also competing in the Gold Fleet for the first time where he has targeted at least a top 30 finish.

Fynn Olsen, of the United States, leads the Gold Fleet.

Meanwhile, the island’s remaining sailors are all competing in the Silver Fleet.

Jordan Vierira is the island’s highest sailor in 61st overall with Riley Lowe in 69th and Sarah Davis in 71st rounding off the top three.

Isaac Wickramage sits in 74th, Sophia Dias in 86th, Jack Adderley in 79th, Kipling Rossouw in 87th and Shiloh Cruikshank in 97th.

Facundo Pellejero, of Argentina, leads the Silver Fleet heading into today’s final day of racing.

The start of yesterday’s racing was delayed several hours due to the light breeze, which only enabled the race committee to complete one race.

“Generally overall the children sat and waited and we didn’t leave the dock until almost 4 o’clock in the afternoon,” Andrew Dias, the Bermuda team leader, told The Royal Gazette.

“The conditions were very tough and again the wind favoured the lighter sailors.

“But they did one race, which kind of was a struggle just because of light winds.”