Draft:Matías Dyck – Athlete Biography

• Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest policy, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. 212.21.253.66 (talk) 10:56, 13 April 2025 (UTC)

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Matías Dyck Córdova is a dedicated Ecuadorian-German professional sailor with a remarkable international career spanning over 15 years. Born in Quito on January 16, 1997, Matías' sailing journey began when he was seven years old on the serene waters of Lago San Pablo. What started as a family pastime quickly turned into a lifelong passion. By age 10, he was already competing internationally, an experience that helped him grow as a sailor and ultimately win the Ecuadorian National Championship at 11 years old, a title he would reclaim four years later.

His first central international podium came in 2010 when Matías and his Ecuadorian teammates were crowned Team Racing Champions at the Nations Cup during the North American Optimist Championship in Kingston, Canada. He also won the Permanent Trophy for Best Non-North American Sailor, finishing fourth overall, just behind three American competitors.

At 15, Matías transitioned to the Laser class (now ILCA), and by 2014, he was already competing in Olympic-class World Championships. His early promise shone through with a 4th-place finish (U19) at the 2015 ILCA 7 U21 World Championship in Medemblik, Netherlands, and an 11th-place finish at the Youth World Championships in Langkawi, Malaysia, that same year. He also captured the title of Under-21 South American Champion in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

In 2016, Matías narrowly missed qualifying for the Rio Olympics. While beginning his university studies, he continued to compete at the highest level, securing 3rd place at the Lightning World Championship in his home waters of Salinas. In 2017, he placed 9th at the U21 World Championship in Nieuwpoort, Belgium, and took silver at the Bolivarian Games in Santa Marta, Colombia.

A defining moment in 2018 saw Matías become the first Ecuadorian sailor to qualify for the finals at the Olympic World Sailing Championships, held in Aarhus, Denmark. He represented Ecuador at two Pan American Games in 2019 and 2023 and earned another silver medal at the 2019 South American Beach Games. That same year, he narrowly missed Olympic qualification again, falling just short against Chilean sailor Clemente Seguel at the qualifier in Rio de Janeiro.

During the pandemic, Matías focused on coaching and grassroots development, working with young sailors across Ecuador and expanding the ILCA fleet to include over 20 active youth athletes nationwide.

In 2021, he finished 7th at the Sunfish World Championship in Sarasota, USA, and placed 5th at the 2022–2023 South American Games.

Throughout his career, Matías has competed in:

• 8 Senior ILCA World Championships
• 3 Under-21 ILCA World Championships
• 2 Youth ILCA World Championships
• 10+ South American Championships (across multiple sailing classes)
• 5+ North American Championships (across multiple sailing classes)
• 4 Optimist World Championships
• 3 Sunfish World Championships

He was named Sailing Athlete of the Year by the Ecuadorian Olympic Committee in 2017 and 2019. His highest World Sailing ranking in the ILCA 7 class was 63rd, with a current ranking of 116th.

Off the water, Matías holds a dual degree in Finance and Marketing from Universidad San Francisco de Quito and is currently pursuing an MBA at ESADE Business & Law School in Barcelona. He is a sailing coach and a key figure in Ecuadorian sailing development, serving as President of the ILCA Class in Ecuador and Board Member of the Ecuadorian Sailing Federation since 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Matías Dyck's story is one of perseverance, excellence, and leadership, charting a path from a small Ecuadorian lake to the grand stages of world sailing.