Optimist Regattas

Josh started sailing in 2004 at the Algoa Bay Yacht Club in their Development Program. He received his first Optimist for Christmas that year. During the next 2 years he sailed in Regattas at ABYC, Redhouse, Knynsa, George Lakes and Swartvlei.

In 2008 Josh sailed in his first Western Province Regatta at Saldanha, the Eastern Province Provincial Regatta and The Youth Nationals Regatta in Mossel Bay. During the 2008 Sailing season Josh won the Optimist class at all the Eastern Cape Interclub events that took place in Knynsa, George Lakes, ABYC and Redhouse Yacht Clubs. In addition he won the Optimist High School Interschools event held at the Redhouse Yacht Club recently.

Josh is a member of both the ABYC and Redhouse Yacht Club's in Port Elizabeth and sails out at sea as much as possible either on his Optimist or with Rob Onvlee and Andrew Ward on Rob's J27, KMG Met.

Over the passed few months since Josh's selection in March for the African Optimist Team, at the Selections Regatta sailed in Richards Bay, Joash has sailed at the Western Province Provincials and finished in 10th place. Josh is particularly chuffed with also having sailed an Optimist off of Durban's Vetchies Pier on a number of occasions.

Many local senior sailors have assisted Josh to get to the level where he is. Of special mention are; Bevan Galloway, his 1st coach as well as Rob Onvlee and Andrew Ward, himself an ex-Optimist sailor, who represented South Africa in the Optimist Class.

Click Here to wish your Optimist Sailors Good Luck in the African Optimist Championships

As at 19 June 2009 the following sailors and officials are entered in the 2009 Optimist African Championships, Richards Bay:

Angola:

Sailors: Paulo Amaral, Telmo Lourenco, Francisco Artur, Marco Torres, Edivaldo Torres

Officials: Nuno Gomes, Moises Camota

Algeria:

Sailors: Rabti Ibrahim, Anis Guedmime, Lamia Feriel Hammiche, Bilal Nedjari, Imene Ouneyssa Cherif Sahraou, Zakaria Khoualed

Officials: Fouad Chaouchi, Riad Labar

Australia: James Oliver, Milly Bennett

Egypt:

Sailors: Omar Abdalla, Sherif Elzayat, Marwan Mansy, Mohamed Morsy

Officials: Attila Hodacs, Abdel Hamid Morsy

Kenya:

Sailors: Lara Granier, Stan Nokes, Maxim Sanders, Richards Sanders,

Officials: Nicholas Granier, James Nokes, Eduard Sanders,

Mauritius

Sailors: Denis Pierre, Alexandre Adam, Christopher Bon, Anaelle Felicie

Official: Mike Lafleur

South Africa:

Heidi Burger, Tammy Shaw, Cara Stubbs, Helen Wertheim-Aymes, Ruben Heard, Trent Bingham, Matthew Gaughran, Gustav Hugo, Marcello Marcia, Joshua Woolard, David Wilson, Peter Bendon, Alex Lehtinen, Tiran Long

Officials: Jennifer Burger, Andrea Giovannini, Andrew Tarboton

Tanzania:

Sailors: Peter van Os, Justin Nierop, Angus Calder, Trystan Humphries, Tarick Nielsen, Anna Mart Opperman, Jacquiline van der Merwe

Officials: Meg van Os, Cameron McKee, Nelly Nielsen

Tunisia:

Sailors: Yosra Farhani, Mohamed Raouf Ben Naceur

Officials: Abdelkarim Derouiche, Anis Haddad

Zimbabwe:

Sailors: Jake Mallon, Lindsay McCosh, Cameron McCosh, Fraser Flight, Matthew Goncalves

Officials: Andy Mallon, Lorna McCosh, Patrick McCosh

United States sailors and officials are still to be confirmed.

Course configuration:

Start – 1 – 2 – Gate (3S – 3P) – Finish

Marks 1, 2 and 3P shall be left to port; mark 3S to starboard.

Angles are approximate. A race should take about 45 minutes.

Sailing Area: