Optimist GBR World, European & French Champs Teams announced
by Dan Wilkinson 25 May 2007 07:49 BST
The British Optiist World, European & French National Team © Into the blue
The Optimist GBR World, European and French Championship Teams were announced this weekend during the Volvo Musto Inland Championship at Grafham Water Sailing Club (19 – 20 May).
The Selection Weekends took place at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (20 – 22 April) and Pwllheli SC (5 -7 May). The two events provided excellent tests for the sailors, with different tactics required for both light and strong winds. It was up to the sailors to use skill, grit and determination to take advantage whenever the breeze changed.
The Optimist is the biggest class in the world with the World Championships having up to 55 nations competing. Some country’s junior teams have almost professional status compared to the Olympic driven amateur status that team GBR enjoys. Digger Harden, International Optimist Class Association UK (IOCA) Sailing Secretary “The World and Europeans are very difficult for Team GBR, with many of the sailors we compete against attending sailing academies, allowing them to sail train almost every day. Team GBR follows the RYA’s long term goals of keeping sailing fun and not burning out our juniors, with the aim of hopefully producing Olympic hopefuls of the future. Events like the Worlds are crucial to keep juniors interested in the sport and whilst helping them gain international experience”
The World’s Team is made up of the 5 top sailors from the two Optimist Selection weekends: James Grant, Phil Sparks, Aaron Smith and Christian Townrow and Ben Robinson. The European Team consists of the next 4 top boy sailors and the top 3 girls overall. They are David Grant, Anna Burnet, Calum Murdock, Tarra Gill-Taylor, Hermione Stanley, Jane Sceales and Ben Harden. Finally the GBR Team for the French Nationals consists of the next 8 top finishers from the selection weekends. Including Tom Britz, Alex Mothersele, Callum Ellis, Craig Dibb, Robbie Urwin, Annabel Vose, Oliver Cooper and Sam Robinson.
The World Championships will be held in Sardinia 22 July – 2 August, with the Europeans are taking place in Varkiza Greece 9 – 18 July, and the French Championships at Lac de Serre Poncon 18 - 25th August.
World Team GBR
James Grant (Restronguet Sailing Club)
Phil Sparks (Royal Lymington Yacht Club)
Aaron Smith (Papercourt Sailing Club)
Christian Townrow (Restronguet Sailing Club)
Ben Robinson (West Kirby Sailing Club)
European Team GBR
David Grant (Restronguet Sailing Club)
Anna Burnet (Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club)
Calum Murdock (Royal Lymington Yacht Club)
Tarra Gill-Taylor (Spinnaker Club)
Hermione Stanley (Oxford Sailing Club)
Jane Sceales (Yarmouth Sailing Club)
Ben Harden (Burnham Sailing Club)
GBR Team
Tom Britz (Royal Lymington Yacht Club)
Alex Mothersele (Emsworth Sailing Club)
Callum Ellis (Burgfield Sailing Club)
Craig Dibb (Warsash Sailing Club)
Robbie Urwin (Royal Lymington Yacht Club)
Annabel Vose (Royal Southern Yacht Club)
Oliver Cooper (Wraysbury Lake Sailing Club)
Sam Robinson (West Kirby Sailing Club)
For more information go to International Optimist Class Association UK (IOCA) website.