Centreboard News
The Wash Up from the Opti North American Championship
This year’s Optimist North American Championship were held in Antigua, delivering hot conditions (as expected). The race course
was offshore where a decent swell and chop faced competitors. Many teams sent bigger sailors as the trade wind is typically
15-20 knots and it was faster to be big and put your bow down for speed through the bumps. In the end it was generally 10-20
knots all week and so our lighter sailors weren’t too disadvantaged at all.
The heaviest (53 kg) Australian competitor, Michael from WA, placed 50th. Our 36 kg sailors were Fletcher in 74th, Jonas (SA)
75th and Jamie (WA) 78th. There were 144 starters.
The sailors excelled at the team racing. Its was divided into the Nation’s Cup ( for Non North Americans) and the North American
pool. Funnily enough, there were more teams competing for the
Nations Cup.
Our sailors sailed out of their skin. They were really aggressive
and vocal. We lost to Brazil, but then beat Switzerland, Argentina,
Colombia and Peru and to get to the finals against Chile. It was all
very exciting and it got them a medal on stage for the final night
presentation event (which was a festival in itself).
What we learnt at the event was that technique and speed are
everything. The sailor that won the fleet racing event was simply fast
all the time. He was 15 and like others, had just come from the Worlds
event where he finished 13th so he was very much warmed up.
All in all it was a great experience.
By Murray Walters
Photo Credit: Matias Capizzano
Queensland Youth Week 2016
Queensland Youth Week has wrapped up and once again
The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club - RPAYC junior sailors
have excelled.
Optis
Intermediate:
Oscar Verity 3rd just pipping
Bayley Taylor 4th, on a count back,
Kye Williams 16th,
Max Crafter 18th,
Walter Tuite 20th.
Open Fleet:
Jonno Tuite 2nd,
Daniel Links 6th,
Morgan Wells 10th,
Oliver Gordon 17th,
Olivia Williams 28th
29ers
Tash & Annie 2nd and qualifying for the Youth World
Championships in New Zealand
Grace Powers & Juliette Costanza 14th
Laser 4.7
Alexander Bijkerk 8th
Cam Whiteside 13th
Nathan Bryant 14th
Logan Cortis 15th
Boston Cortis 17th
James Derry 19th
Antony Hawke 23rd
Georgia Tuckey 27th
Charlie Wells 29th
Angus Crafter 45th
Laser Radials
Jarrah Sheppard 29th
Above: Calm starts to the Queensland Youth Week photo: Karen
Taylor
Below, Podium finish for Natasha Bryant and Annie Wilmot photo:
Beau Outteridge