A Yucatecan candle in Cyprus

A 13-year-old Yucatecan will participate in one of the most important sailing competitions in the world in November.

Jorge Muñoz Uribe received a special invitation, due to his age, to participate in The ROC (The Regatta of Champions), an international event for the Optimist Class, one of the most sought-after and competitive races worldwide. The event will take place in Limassol, Cyprus, from November 3rd to 8th.

The Cypriot event is by invitation only. Throughout the year, 45 invitations are allocated to elite sailors around the world, awarded at the most important continental regattas, endorsed by the IODA (International Optimist Dinghy Association). Therefore, The ROC brings together the champions and best athletes from the World Championships and various continental tournaments from Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Oceania, and Asia.

Having dedicated almost his entire short life to sailing, Jorge Muñoz Uribe is the first Mexican to participate in The ROC (the 2025 edition is the fourth).

He earned a wild card for his performance as an American at the World Championships in Portoroz, Slovenia, last July, where he finished in the top 10 in the Optimist category, and also for his participation in the Kosmos Regatta that same month in Athens, Greece, where he finished third in the North American category.

A Mexican national team member in the Optimist Class, Jorge was born on January 15, 2012, and attends high school at the Montejo University Center. He is the son of Jorge Muñoz Castillo and Valentina Uribe Jinich.— Gaspar Silveira