New Zealand International Optimist Dinghy Association

Congratulations to Leonard Takahashi, Markus Somerville and Isaac McHardie, the New Zealand Team at the British National Champs who have done extremely well. Final results have Leonard 1st, Markus 3rd, and Isaac 5th. For full results see here, and news from the event can be found here. Further details and report to follow.

A quick note on the North Island Champs in Napier from October 21st - 24th. This is the last weekend of the school holidays and also Labour Weekend - accomodation in Napier is filling up and it would be advisable to get your bookings done early.

The team of 10 sailors have completed racing at the Asia Pacific Champs in Singapore - for results click here, and the Facebook page can be found here.

Please visit the "Regattas & Events" page to see the NoR for the 2011 North Island Champs & Teams Racing. Click on the event to see the links in the regatta description.

2011 European Optimist Championships

Saturday 9 July – Final Days Racing

Hi everyone – A last brief update from Tavira before we all head into the prizegiving.

Today was the last days racing and unfortunately it didn’t quite bring the final results that we were hoping for.

Lola has slipped down the ranking slightly to finish up 21^st overall from the fleet of 95 girls. While she is disappointed to miss out on a top 20 placing this has been a great regatta for her considering that it was her first international event and she hasn’t been in the sport all that long – so well done Lola.

Nick had a shocker last day after lying 28^th overnight and was hoping to hold a top 30 position. His plan for a conservative safe start was a little too conservative and he then missed a major left hander on the first beat and finished well down the pack. Nick has finished the regatta in 33^rd position overall.

Cole had a good final day with a solid 24^th to leave him in 63^rd position overall.

Zak also had a good last day with a 37^th placing leaving him in 76^th position overall.

We are now heading into the prizegiving at the Vila Gale Albacora Hotel. In fact the pre function is well underway as we write this.

We have included a photo of the prizegiving currently underway outside below and as you can see it is looking like being quite a flash affair. A click or two above the average club affair back home but we’ll manage!

Thanks to everyone for following the team’s progress and everyone in the team had had a wonderful time, the sailors have learnt enormously and it’s been a great stepping stone towards bigger and brighter things for these sailors.

Regards

Lola, Zak, Cole and Nick.

2011 European Optimist Championships

Friday 8 July – Fourth Days Racing

Hi everyone – the second to last update from Tavira (no update likely to be available from the last night party)

At the risk of sounding repetitive, yet another up and down day from the Kiwi team in Tavira.

Nick and Cole both scored some strong results with Nick landing a second place in race 10 and Cole scoring a third place in race 11.

This is, incidentally, the highest individual race result ever from a New Zealand team at the European Optimist Championships regatta with the previous best Kiwi boys placing being a 4^th. (Nick’s placing was actually a 3rd across the line but later improved to a second due the Singaporean sailor ahead of him being black flagged. Nick’s second was in part thanks to a large number of sailors being black flagged in the previous start reducing the size of the fleet significantly and thus making the start line a click looser).

In good young EJ fashion however, he managed to balance the second placing with a robust 52nd in race 11 to leave him lying 28^th overall out of the total fleet of 130 boats.

Cole scored a 28^th in race 11 to add to his third place in race 11 which jump shifted him up the fleet by some 20 places to 61^st overall overnight.

Zak had had a much stronger day with solid placings of 23^rd and 27^th to leave him lying 74^th overall. Zak really seemed to be sailing much stronger today but the results and overall position do not accurately reflect his improvement in the later stages of this regatta. His prowess in swapping t shirts and lifejackets after the racing leaves none of us in doubt as to his skill around the boatyard though…

Lola has had a tough day with placings of 22 and 26^th. Ordinarily these would be keeper results but due to several sailor behind her overnight having larger ‘drops’ she fell back to 20th overall. Still, with a good result in the penultimate race tomorrow she can still recover the lost ground and finish up with a very strong overall result. We need also to remember that this is Lola’s first international regatta and her results to date have been outstanding. Keep it going for 1 more day Lola!

The regatta concludes tomorrow with one final race. Nick and Lola are both capable of a top placing overall depending on the final days result.

Come what may, the regatta has achieved what it is designed to do for the Kiwi sailors and that is to act as a grooming ground for the larger worlds stage that awaits these young people. No matter where the kiwi sailors finish in this regatta, the experience that they have gained in this regatta both on and off the water will stand them in great stead for forthcoming larger events. The next international regatta will always be less daunting because of this one that they have nearly finished.

More to come from Tavira tomorrow after the last race.

Regards

Lola, Zak, Cole and Nick.