Toyota Optimist Nats: 190 sailors from three nations parade
by Christel Hopkins 31 Mar 2018 10:42 BST
29 March 2018
2018 Toyota Optimist NZ Nationals - parade thgrough the streets of Picton © Christel Hopkins
Last night the 2018 Toyota Optimist Nationals was officially opened.
The Open Fleet consists of about 140 sailors and there will be 50 Green and Rainbow fleet sailors. We have teams from Australia and Tahiti. It was a great turnout.
All clubs came along in great force and marched with a lot noise and gusto through the main street, encouraged by crowds along the streets. The prize for best performance in the Parade was Murray’s Bay from Auckland. The looked good and could be heard from three streets away. The parade took the crowds through the town centre and finished with a big welcome from officials, the college Kapa Haka group and Gold Medal winner rower and America's Cup Champion, Joe Sullivan at the Water’s edge.
The ceremony was closed off with a big count down and a bang from the club cannon.
For the first day of Teams racing - 24 teams entered in the national team sailing event
The 2018 Toyota Optimist Nationals are being held at Queen Charlotte Yacht Club in Picton, which was also the venue for 2003 Nationals, and significantly it was won by Peter Burling, Olympic Gold and Silver medalist and America's Cup champion.
The regatta consists of three fleets.
Rainbow fleet: mainly consists of sailors who have been sailing less than a year
Green fleet: sailors that have been sailing for less then 2 or 3 years
Open fleet sailors are more experienced and able to handle all conditions. The best sailors of this fleet in this regatta will be chosen to join the travelling teams competing in Worlds, European and Asian championships.
They will compete on a course in the outer Harbour. Total sailors will be close to 200 with about 130 competing in the Open fleet.
Close to 20 QCYC sailors from Rainbow, Green fleet and Open fleet Optimist will compete in the Team sailing event and the main regatta. We will also have sailing teams from Australia and Tahiti.
On Friday the National Optimist Team racing was contested, with 24 teams of 4 boats each.
Two days of racing are due to take place in the Open fleet to determine the Gold, Silver fleets, which will sail the final series on the Monday and Tuesday. The Rainbow and Green fleet will also sail four days with one of these days being a mystery adventure race.
It is always a big challenge for the South Island clubs to try and beat the big sailing clubs from the Auckland region. Last weekend Nelson yacht club, Worser Bay from Wellington and QCYC got together for a combined Opti training weekend on the Nationals race course area. This was a great weekend and hopefully more combined activities to come.