Sebastian Kempe continued his sparkling form at the Canadian Optimist Championships in Halifax, Nova Scotia yesterday.

The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club youth sailor thrived in the foggy and windy conditions in Halifax harbour, which peaked at 25 knots, posting a second and a first to maintain the overall lead among the 129 entries in the fleet racing championship.

“I am very pleased with my results over the past two days,” the 12-year-old Saltus student said yesterday. “I am looking forward to the team racing event tomorrow and then being in gold fleet for the remainder of the regatta and hoping to do well.”

Kempe’s win in the fourth qualifying race in the yellow fleet was his second of the championship and he has crossed the finish line no lower than fourth to date.

After two days of qualifying in the fleet racing championship and one discard, the promising sailor tops the overall leaderboard by five points over Andreas Steinitz, of Canada, with Jack Gogan, also of Canada, a further point back in third.

Kempe, the son of former RBYC Commodore Somers Kempe, has come into his own lately, having placed fifth at the United States Optimist National Championship in Norfolk, Virginia last week.

“I was very pleased with my results in Virginia,” Kempe said. “It started to show that I can keep up with the best in the United States and made me very confident.”

Kempe’s confidence was further boosted after placing third in a warm-up regatta in preparation for this week’s championships being hosted by the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron.

Also thriving at the championships is Kempe’s RBYC team-mate Christian Ebbin, who is fifth overall and has also qualified for the gold fleet.

Apart from finishing 20th in the second qualifying race Ebbin, who also competed at last week’s US Optimist Championships where he finished 35th, has been consistent in the Optimist dinghy in Halifax.

Ebbin’s confidence was also boosted yesterday after claiming line honours in the blue fleet in the day’s final race.

Kempe and Ebbin are among an eight-strong RBYC team comprised mostly of female sailors.

Genevieve Lau is the third highest local sailor in the standings and 16th overall, followed by Rachel Betschart (24th), Leyli Walker (35th) and Laura Hupman (40th).