XML FeedsInvite to the Australian Optimist Championships
The 2011 Australian Open & National Championships will be held in Sydney, between January 9th & 16th.
The Notice of Race will be available on www.aioda.com
In the past few years the number of Opti sailors in Australia has grown by 50% each year with 250 new boats delivered since January 2009.
Many Australian sailors have been travelling overseas to regattas and Australian teams compete in the Asians, Europeans, Africans, Worlds and the New Zealand and Singapore Nationals.
There were almost 150 participants at Australian & Open Nationals & Green Fleet Championships with the fleet size growing by over 50% each year.
This year with continued AUS growth, the anticipated increase in overseas entries and the ideal location of Sydney the organisers of the Australian Open Championships hope to reach 200 sailors.
Sailors that travelled to Australia in 2010 were from; NZL, USA, UAE, PNG, SIN, HKG, JPN, GER, GBR & DEN.
Sydney weather conditions in January are superb; the average Temperature is 22 degrees Celsius, Min 18C (66F) – Max 26C (79F), Humidity 64%. The average wind is Beaufort 4; 11-15 knots/ 13-17mph.
Charter Optimists are available from the official supplier OziOpti.
Speaking on behalf of AIODA, Steven Bond says the at he looks forward to welcoming all Optimist Sailors DOWNUNDER and invites interested sailors to contact him by e-mail - stevenbond[at]theboatyard.com.au.
Oceania and Australian Nationals Notice of Race
Fancy traveling 'down under' for a spot of Optimist Sailing?
Diego Figueroa High Performance Optimist Clinic
This will be one of the biggest internationals clinics to be held in Australia. We are hoping to attract several overseas and Australian sailors to participate in the clinic. It is going to be held just prior to the Australian National Championship.
The Clinic is designed to cater for Gold Fleet Optimist Sailors and is going to be held in one of the most beautiful sailing venues and oceans in Australia.
Come join us in Mandurah, a seaside holiday city 1 hour from Perth, an amazing place to sail.
There is only a maximum of 60 places available, so for those sailors who are interested please complete the necessary forms and return at your earliest convenience.
Please find attached a Flyer and Entrance Form for Diego’s High Performance Optimist Clinic.
Hardcore Optimists
Matías Capizzano published a series of stunning photographs of Optimists doing some incredible sailing on the Mar del Plata, Argentina recently.
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Click on the thumbnails to see a larger version
New IODA Secretary General
We are delighted to announce that Sally Burnett has accepted the position of Secretary General Designate of IODA.
Sally who is from the English North Midlands combines the knowledge of international sailing and the small-business experience which are the principal requirements of the position.
An ISAF international judge and umpire since 1988, she has most recently been involved in the revival of the ISAF Nations Cup, focused on bringing keelboat match racing to countries with little experience in this discipline.
A university graduate in design Sally has 25 years experience as a partner in a small specialist ceramics business and has also worked in the healthcare recruitment industry.
It is intended that after training - and a "holiday" at the Olympics where she is on the jury - Sally will assume the position of Secretary General in September. Robert Wilkes the present secretary will then remain as a consultant.
The long recruitment process which produced a number of other excellent candidates has been greatly assisted by the services of David Sprague, a recruitment consultant who, as current vice-chair of the International Classes Committee, brought a unique insight into this exciting and challenging position.
Euromed Malta Championship
Over the coming week, from Monday 17th up till Saturday 22nd, Malta will be hosting no less than 120 participants to compete in the 8th Edition of the EUROMED Malta Championship, where the Optimist Sailing Dinghy, the internationally recognised one design single handed sailing craft, will be raced. Eligible to participate in this Class, the largest junior class in the World, are ‘sailors’ under the age of 16 years.
The event will bring to Malta's waters competitors from nine nations, namely the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Norway, Russia, Switzerland, and Malta which confirms the trademark of success this exciting Championship has attained and which has given Christmas in Malta a new dimension where sailing enthusiasts are concerned.
The EUROMED Malta Championship is organised by the Malta Young Sailors Club in partnership with KMS (Kunsill Malti Ghall-Isport) under the auspices of the Malta Sailing Federation.
Read More on The Malta Independent Online
Optimist World Champion Sailor of the Month
www.Optimist.co.za: The 2007 Optimist World Champion, Chris Steele from Wakatere Boating Club in New Zealand is the September Sailor of the month for Seahorse Magazine.
The 2007 Optimist World Championships were sailed in Cagliari, Sardinia.
The 2007 Optimist World Champion title is the first ever for New Zealand. Chris Steele is from Wakatere Boating Club in Auckland, the same yacht club as 2004 silver medallist Paul Snow-Hansen who recently won a silver medal at this years ISAF Youth World Championships in the 29er class. Steele was consistent throughout the regatta with six top three finishes over the thirteen races sailed. He finished with 62 points, five points ahead of Benjamin Grez of Chile.
Other awards that Chris won at his home club in 2006 include the Waterwise Cup for Junior Sportsmanship, which was awarded for maturity in the face of adversity at the Opti Worlds Uruaguay. In the same year Chris also won the Opti Club Champ Cup and a Gold Medal in the Open Class.
Well done Chris from your mates in South Africa.
Optimist Eastern GP at Waveney & Oulton Broad Yacht Club
www.Optimist.co.za: CONDITIONS were almost perfect on Oulton Broad on Saturday for the Optimist Open and 38 of the best junior helms in the eastern counties took full advantage.
With four races to be sailed and the best three to count consistency was essential and Ross Williams, from Grafham Water SC, with two firsts and a second won with four points to spare from Zach Brubert, sailing on his home water, who took a couple of races to find his touch.
He won the third race and took second in the last one but had to count a fifth in the second race which stopped him providing a closer challenge.
Ben Harden missed out on second place by just one point, counting a second, third and fourth while Thomas Needham, from Wroxham, won the first race but slipped back in the next three.
The entry was divided into Gold and Silver fleets and Poppy Woodcock, Eilan Needham and Catriona Maciver - all from the Norfolk Broads YC at Wroxham - occupied the top three places.
The wind had increased to about force four on Sunday and was blowing straight down the Broad, conditions which have been rare this summer.
There was a good fleet of 15 dinghies out in the first Fast Handicap race and Alan Cone got the best of the start while Duncan Madin failed to pull away from the fleet as he usually does and could not save his time on handicap as Alan won with Andy Jarvis moving up to third in his National 12.
There was one of the best turnouts of keel boats of the season but the Waveneys suffered by failing to take in a reef and the BODs had all the wind they wanted in a close race which was won by Tony Truman from Tim Barrett with Nick Truman third.
George Gower led the Waveneys for most of the race while Geoff
Little had a good race with Jack Pickering for second place which he narrowly won.
While the Waveneys were struggling, the wind was just right for the Squibs who were flying round.
They were led by David Hannant who got away at the start and although Peter Horton and John Hodges both challenged strongly early on in the end Hannant had a reasonable lead.
Conditions looked ideal for the Squibs which had been looking forward to having a better chance against the Waveneys than in the light conditions of most of the summer.
But, with one exception, the Waveneys decided it was too windy and stayed ashore, leaving the Squibs to finish in the same order as in the class race.
Results. Oulton Broad Optimist Open. Race 1 5237 (Thomas Needham); 5446 (Jack Rushton); 5307 (James Rushton); Race 2 5566 (Ross Williams); 5467 (Ben Harden); 5553 (Henrietta Brand); Race 3 5252 (Zach Brubert); 5566; 5262 (Fleur Page); Race 4 5566 (Ross Williams); 5252 (Zach Brubert); 5467 (Ben Harden); Overall 5566 (Ross Williams) 4pts; 5252 (Zach Brubert) 8 pts; 5467 (Ben Harden) 9 pts.
Sunday Fast Handicap (15) The Other Woman (Alan Cone); Get Over It (Duncan Madin); Red Snapper (Andy Jarvis). BODs (6) Shearwater (Tony Truman); Kite (Tim Barrett); Spoonbill (Nick Truman); Squibs (5) Supertoy (David Hannant); Confusion (Peter Horton); Slinky (John Hodges). Waveneys (10) Samphire (George Gower); Naiad (Geoff Little); Marsh Thistle (Jack Pickering); Lasers (10) 189606; The Other Woman; Passing Wind (Simon Marfleet). Mixed Keels (5) Supertoy; Confusion; Quackers (Vince Meadows).
Source: Lowestoft Journal
Paul Rios - North AND South American Optimist Champ
www.Optimist.co.za: Puerto Rico’s Raul Rios is putting Optimist sailing in the Caribbean on the map this year. The 14-year-old earned the South American title racing in Rio de Janeiro in April. Then he added the North American title at the International Optimist Dinghy Association North American Championships, held July 8 to 14 out of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
“Like my prior victories, it was my consistency that was key to the final result and win,” Rios emailed, while preparing for the IODA World Championships in Sardinia, an event that followed on the heels of the North Americans.
About the final two days, where winds finally picked up above a whisper and shifted following a series of thunderstorms, Rios added, “When the wind changed, it stayed in the new direction, and that was a problem. You had to be sure which side to go or you would end up last. Being very aware of the wind shifts was very important, also good starts.”
One hundred and eighty-five junior sailors hailing from 20 countries—
and six Caribbean island nations—competed in the North American Championships. Strengthening the Caribbean’s reputation in the world of Optimist sailing, Puerto Rico won the Team Racing event and the U.S. Virgin Islands finished third, with the USA ending second.
IODA class administrator, Robert Wilkes, has this to say about the Team Racing, “This was the year in which the North American teams showed their growing maturity by capturing all three medals in a branch of sailing traditionally dominated in the Optimist Class by their southern neighbors. In a thrilling final, Puerto Rico beat USA 2-1, but even more significant was the victory of the U.S. Virgin Islands over Argentina to secure bronze. Given that just two years ago Puerto Rico was ranked 36th in the Worlds and the U.S. Virgin Islands 41st, this is a remarkable tribute to the development of Caribbean Optimist sailing.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Virgin Islands’ girl sailor, Nikole ‘Nikki’ Barnes, captured the Top North American Girl’s title.
About this win, IODA’s Wilkes commented, “Maria José Cucalón from Ecuador ran out clear winner of the girls' prize in sixth place over-all, but Nikki Barnes can be well pleased with her North American Girls title and a highly commendable 11th place over-all.”
Many of the Caribbean teams headed directly from Mexico for Sardinia, Italy, for the Optimist World Championships. These were sailed out of Cagliari July 22-August 2. (No results were yet available as All At Sea prepared to go to press.)
2007 IODA NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: RESULTS FOR CARIBBEAN SAILORS
1. Raul Rios, Puerto Rico (38)
11. Nikole ‘Nikki’ Barnes, St. Thomas, USVI (91)
17. Billy Gibbons, St. Croix, USVI (113)
18. Ivan Aponte, Puerto Rico (114)
25. Fernando Monllor, Puerto Rico (121)
28. Alecsander Tayler, St. Thomas, USVI (138)
29. Jose Nigaglioni, Puerto Rico (139)
31. Alexander Coyle, St. John, USVI (145)
38. Juan Perdomo, Puerto Rico (167)
39. Eduardo Ariza, Dominican Republic (168)
43. Ard van Aanholt, Curacao (171)
69. Eugene Hendrikx, Curacao (212)
71. Victor Aponte, Puerto Rico (214)
75. Just van Aanholt, Curacao (219)
79. Wesley Scott, Trinidad & Tobago (225)
92. Sebastian Bros, Dominican Republic (248)
93. Ramon Gonzalez, Puerto Rico (248)
97. Erik Holmborn, Dominican Republic (266)
105. Alejandro Monllor, Puerto Rico (284)
107. Louis Hendrikx, Curacao (287)
144. Guillermo Luis Prida, Dominican Republic (400)
146. Daniel Briggs, Trinidad & Tobago (402)
147. Devin Van Otterdijik, Curacao (403)
151. Dontae Hodge, British Virgin Islands (416)
158. Deion Van Rooijan, Curacao (435)
160. Rodrigo Delgado, Dominican Republic (437)
162. Russell Franklin, Trinidad & Tobago (439)
164. Manuel Lehoux, Dominican Republic (457)
175. Manuel Gonzalez, Puerto Rico (503)180. Rogelio Fernandez, Puerto Rico (521)
Source: All At Sea
More About The Scottish Optimist Champ
A YOUNG sailor from the Borders has been making waves on the national circuit.
Callum Airlie, 12, from Westruther, lifted the Scottish Championship for Junior Sailing in July and, sailing in the UK Nationals last month was presented with a brand new Optimist (Oppie) sailing dinghy after winning his age-group event.
A member of St Mary’s Loch sailing club, Callum started attending Earlston High School after the summer break and is following in the wake of elder siblings Drew and Ewan who also enjoy success on the water.
Back in July, Dalgety Bay was the host for the Scottish Championships of Optimists (manned by sailors under the age of 16), sponsored by Artemis Investment Management. This was the fifth event on the two classes’ joint Travellers circuit in Scotland, while for the Optimists it was also a UK Grand Prix.
The Saturday of the event was grey and damp, and competitors had to make the most of the light breezes to overcome tidal currents.
In the Oppies the visitors were generally on top, with Matt Foskett from Staunton Harold in Derbyshire taking first overall. A trio of wins on the Sunday gave him the verdict on the tie break but Callum came in first Scot, taking third overall in the competition.
The International Optimist Class UK National Championships (junior dinghy sailing) took place in Weymouth in August.
And, in addition to the normal races of senior fleet (129 sailors aged 13 to 15), and junior fleet (145 sailors aged 12 and under), there was also a competition to win a new boat donated by the John Merricks Sailing Trust. It was decided that the winner would be someone aged 12 or under, sailing a boat that was at least five years old, who had gained the highest overall position in junior fleet at the championships.
Thirty two boats met the criteria so their sailors were eligible for the competition – with Callum the only Scottish entrant. It very quickly became apparent on day one that it was going to be largely a two-boat race between Callum and Sasha Bruml from Lymington.
With 12 races in the championships, a tense week followed with both young sailors alternating in the lead. And down it came to the final day’s sailing. This started badly as there was no wind in the morning and racing was delayed. The children, though exhausted by their hard work, had three races left with everything was to play for.
Callum was behind Sasha after the first race, beat him in the second, but was again behind him on the third. When all the results were complied, Callum finished in 30th place overall with 140 points and Sasha in 31st with 143 points. The new Optimist was won by a mere three points.
In addition to winning the new boat, Callum also won the trophy for highest placed Scottish junior, and the Scottish area award. Not bad for a kid from a small sailing club in the Borders.
Source: Fiona Scott, Southern Reporter
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