YOUNG RFBYC SAILORS AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPTIMIST NATIONALS

THE ANNUAL Australian Optimist National Championships were hosted by the Adelaide Sailing Club in April 2021. In total, 95 junior sailors from every state attended the regatta with four WA sailors crossing the border including Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club brothers Thomas and Nicholas Cooper, along with Jasper Stay.

The weather conditions in Gulf St. Vincent provided a significant test of sailing skills with Day 1 delivering 20 knots and 1.5–2.0m swell thanks to ex-TC Seroja. Both Intermediate and Open fleets did well just to make it to the start line without breaking any gear in the extreme conditions. The wind settled in the 5–10 knot range for the remainder of the regatta and light-weather sailors that picked the wind shifts and sailed on the favoured side of the course had the most success.

Sailing in Open Fleet, Thomas finished 41st overall and was very pleased with his results. Thomas’ highlights included a 15th place in the final race of the regatta and apparently he also really enjoyed sailing in the large swell!

Jasper Stay finished an impressive 14th overall.

Nicholas finished 6th overall in the Intermediate fleet, which was a fantastic effort for an 8-year-old. Nicholas’ highlights included a 1st place in the final race, learning how to pick the wind shifts and making new friends.

Travel to the regatta was supported by a grant from RFBYC and the Western Australian International Optimist Dinghy Association (WAIODA).

The regatta was a great learning experience for the young sailors and they’re now looking forward to racing in the calmer waters of the Swan River during the RFBYC 2021 Winter Sailing Series.