Following a dramatic closing day of preliminary competition Wednesday, Saint Lucia’s top sailor Luc Chevrier has secured his spot in the medal round of the ILCA 7 men’s Laser Radial event at the Central American and Caribbean Games, putting him one step away from a chance at the region’s top podium prize.
The 27-year-old Olympian will hit the water off Punta Salinas for two decisive final races this Friday, with all previous preliminary standings wiped out as the top five remaining competitors fight for gold, silver and bronze.
Chevrier entered the 10-race preliminary series as one to watch, and delivered consistent results across the opening contests. He notched a second-place finish, two fourths, a third, and claimed his fifth victory in the series’ ninth race, a performance that pushed him into the overall lead halfway through the final day of qualifying. His steady sailing through the first nine heats kept him firmly in contention for a top spot heading into the last preliminary race.
Disaster almost struck in the 10th and final preliminary heat, however. A stray clear plastic bag became caught underneath Chevrier’s hull, creating drag that slowed his boat throughout the race. The 27-year-old had no idea of the issue until after he crossed the finish line, where he ended up placing ninth. Despite the setback, he held on to secure his place in the final five-boat medal fleet.
After all preliminary results were calculated, Chevrier finished with 18 net points, just two points behind Puerto Rico’s Pedro Fernandez Gamboa, who notched his second win of the series in Race 10 to claim the top preliminary spot with 16 net points. Bermuda’s Sebastian Kempe sits just one point behind Chevrier at 19 points, while Joshua Higgins of the Cayman Islands rounded out the top five with 40 points.
For Chevrier, the advancement comes with added motivation: he already owns a bronze medal from the 2023 regional championships, and is eager to improve on that result in this year’s event. Speaking with local outlet St Lucia Times ahead of the final, he made clear he has high hopes for his performance on Friday.
With all previous standings discarded for the medal round, every sailor starts from zero, leaving the door open for any of the top five to take gold. Chevrier says he is ready to put the last-race mishap behind him, and if conditions cooperate and he executes his plan, he will be in a strong position to challenge for the top prize.