Optimist news Jan 2020.
I would like to wish all our Optimist families a happy and prosperous new year. With Youth Nationals closing our year of competition, looking back the class had made some gains. We had at a great result at the Worlds in Antigua, a team competing in the Europeans and a team in Seychelles at the Africans. The WC champs and NR champs had fewer numbers than the year before. But the glorious B fleet at the Nationals gives me hope that the cycle is on the up. Thanks to the WC parents for all the work they did for the class at the Nationals.
The class took the decision to run clinics for the Optimist team before the selection regatta and on two other occasions using international coaches and the same coach went with the team to Africans. There were definite benefits for the sailors by coming together for training. But the immediate benefits of the coaches input will not be seen in all the sailors. The long term benefits are more obvious with the sailors now honing their skills and making use of what they’ve learnt. The cost to the parents has been quite substantial. I’d like to thank Mike Kavanagh and Jeanne Stanley for initiating this process.
Going forward we will be following a similar plan. Kick starting with a clinic in Mossel Bay from the 22nd March to the 29th March ending in the Selection Regatta. The clinic will be open to all Optimist class members, A and B Fleeters. The selection regatta will run 2 fleets. One for the selection of the optimist team and the second for the balance. Diaries these dates there will be communication around costs and logistics.
WC champs have been confirmed to over the Easter weekend at Hermanus YC. Here’s a reminder on how the class selection process works. You have to attend one provincials and the class Nationals in one calendar year to qualify. The your results at the nationals and the selection regatta will build the ranking ladder. Top 5 sailors will be the Worlds Team and the Africans team will be the top 4 boys and the top girl. Should any of the Worlds team decline their Africans places the next highest ranked sailors will be offered the place.
The Optimist class committee for 2020 will be headed up by myself with the support of Jerome Mcloughlin as treasurer, Lars Kessel in the Western Cape and Peter Rautenbach in the Northern Region. Dave Booth will be overseeing the governance of the class.
The class fees have not increased and the early payment discount still applies. Fees for new registrations is R 400 and Fee for late renewal is R500.
DATES TO DIARISE
OPTIMIST CLINIC-22nd -26th March – Mossel Bay, WC
2020 OPTIMIST SELECTION REGATTA 27th -29th March- Mossel Bay, WC
KZN Optimist Provincials -22nd-23rd March, HMYC
NR -GAUTENG Provincials- 5-6 September, Aeolians Club, Vaal Dam
Don’t hesitate to pick up the phone if you have any questions.
