Optimist, Open Skiff, Youth & Olympic Sailing Blog

While the IODA Optimist European championships are under way in the Netherlands, it's important to note that the top European Optimist sailors are prevented from participating at those championships. Indeed, according to IODA regulations, the 5 sailors who qualified for the Worlds in each country, are not authorized to participate in the IODA European Championships. As a consequence, the top European sailors are not authorized to participate in the Europeans, something that is somewhat counterintuitive, and makes the Europeans a somewhat less interesting event, compared to other regional events, and of course the Worlds. The top European sailors need to train or compete elsewhere during the Europeans - and it’s why several of them are already training in Belgium, in anticipation of Nieuwpoort Week. Such IODA regulation does not apply to other regions, such as North America and South America, where the top sailors can participate in the regional championship of their cou

After 5 qualifying races, USA star Optimist sailor, Stephan Baker, is already comfortably in the lead at the IODA North Americans in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. With 4 bullets and a 4th, he has a nett total of 4 points, versus 16.0 for Caroline Sibily (ISV) and 20.0 for Sebastian Kempe (BER).  There is a total of 149 participants in this IODA championship.  The two next USA sailors are respectively 4th (Peter Foley) and 6th (Sara Schumann).  First Canadian sailor is Carling Davies from Toronto, in 40th position.

Sailing Illustrated's weekly webcast brougt to our attention an amazing Optimist sailor from Denmark, Magnus Heegaard, who is only 12 and was already qualifed for the worlds' team last year. Magnus didn't go to the 2017 Opti Worlds in Thailand, because his health condition does not allow him for such travel. Magnus is indeed suffering from a condition he contracted at a very early age, and that has as consequence that he only has 20% lung capacity. Despite this serious health condition, he is one of the top Optimist sailors in Denmark, and he is so at a very early age - as typically, most Optimist sailors participating to the worlds are 13, 14 or 15! Amazing. In this world of sometimes excessively competitive Optimist sailing, it's too uncommon to encounter such an inspirational story. We really  hope he will do well at the Worlds and that the Cyprus climate will not be too harsh on him. You are most welcome to donate to his campaign towards his participati

View of the Beach - of the amazing Buffalo Canoe Club on Lake Erie, near Niagara Falls Yes, this year the Open Bic North Americans will take place in Canada, at the amazing Buffalo Canoe Club on Lac Erie. As this point, there are already 33 entries, including some of the world's best Open Bic sailors, out of Hawaii. By comparison, CORK Optimist International has only 13 entries at this point, 4 of them from Canada (many more to come though) While taking place in Canada, there are no Canadian entries yet for the Open Bic North Americans. An element of explanation is this. While several clubs in provinces such as Quebec and Ontario have Open Bic fleets, particularly for their Junior Sailing program, the Open Bic is typically not recognized by official federations. It's the case in Quebec and in Ontario - mostly by tradition and also by fear of jeopardizing participation in the Optimist fleets. As a results, most racing sailors tend not to sail the Open Bic, eventh

Like last year, several of the best US sailors will attend Optimist CORK in Kingston on August 9-12. Among them, none other than North American, South American and USA champion - Stephan Baker (see picture) Stephan Baker is one of the favorites for the Optimist Worlds to be held in Cyprus shortly after, along with the reigning Optimist World Champion Marco Gradoni from Italy. In 2017, Stephan Baker won Optimist CORK in front of three other US sailors: Peter Foley, Liam O'Keefe and Sara Shuman. 5th and first Canadian was Jackson Macaulay out of Halifax. There was a total of 128 competitors in the championship fleets. http://www.cork.org/past-results/results2017/optimist/optimist_results.htm

Picture of a new rig developped by Bethwaite -- source: Improper Course Following the article in Sailing Illustrated about the development of a new rig for the Laser, a post has appeared in the blog "Improper Course" with an interview of Julian Bethwaite out of Australia, In the post, Julian Bethwaite talks about the development of two rigs. Yet none for the Laser or the Olympics. Here are excepts (questions are in bold) "Is this rig for the Olympics? No. The rig in the photo is too big and the rig we’re developing for the recreational market is too small, so neither are for the Olympics as the article states." "I understand it’s not for the Laser but if it was, how would it feel? The carbon rig is 5 kilos lighter which is less than half the weight so the inertia, which is the square of the weight/arm, is dramatically better. It’s like driving a Porsche instead of a tank. In addition, a Laser rig bends to leeward and “kinks’” at the deck level

"Class Legal" Radial Sail - Picture from Mikko Brunner's Post on The Sailors Voice Facebook Group NOTE : The laser class informed us that there was indeed a problem with the new full rig / standard sail, and that it has been resolved. It is not aware of the problem regarding the Radial sail, as in picture, which is apparently referred to by Mr Brunner (see below). Mr Brunner did unfortunately not reply immediately to a request for clarification sent by email. Yet he has now confirmed (April 2019) he was referring to the 3rd day at the 2017 Laser Worlds (senior).  Those sail breakage problems are explained in this video featuring interviews of several of the world's top sailors and coaches.   The pretty expensive price of class Laser sails, versus non-class sails, is pretty well known. For example, a class Radial sail is priced US$595, whereas you can get a non-class sail for ... US$119! Now, it's hard to believe that a class sail is much more expensive

Here is a great interview of Laser grand master sailor, and former world champion, Peter Shope.  Yes you can be somewhat conservative and still win -- at least in Master fleets!

A picture from Europe - where there are 4.7 youth fleets about as large as the Radial youth fleets JUNE 13 UPDATE: The organizers of CORK in Kingston have just announced that there will be a separate Laser 4.7 fleet, after all! As long as there are more than 10 registrations in the fleet - which is most likely as there is word of competitors coming from as far as Florida to compete! Our take: any youth Laser sailor below 145 lbs should sail the 4.7 fleet, which is attracting a growing number of the previously top Canadian Opti sailors. Sailing the Radial when underweight, especially in Kingston where the wind conditions can be very challenging indeed, is a mistake. See the Update from the Organizer s. --------------------- The year 2018 is seeing the emergence of Laser 4.7 fleets in Canada, and this is good news. For many years, in Canada, youth sailors out of the Optimist have transitioned directly to the Laser Radial, a rig way too powerful for sailors typically weight

There is some interesting, yet weird, commentary by World Sailing President about the recent London World Sailing Council decisions ...  "Therefore, it is my pleasure to report that the final two submissions for the 2024 Summer Olympic program support four mixed events and accommodate a broad range of physiques. Both submissions reflect how diverse our sport is, the first by including a new event for Offshore and the second including a new event for women - but both include mixed kite."   Why commenting so favorably on a submission that was defeated? Why now suggesting that the "mixed single-handed" event is now a "new event for women"?  The Finn sailors will be disappointed ... :) Also, why claiming that the new events will accommodate "a broad range of physiques"?  As discussed previously,  a pretty high weight target of 70 kg has been decided for female sailors for the new (and controversial) mixed single-handed dinghy.  With