2018 Optimist US Team Race National Championship at Pensacola Yacht Club - Day 1

The three-day 2018 Optimist Team Race National Championship began Friday with 24 teams competing in the USODA event hosted by Pensacola Yacht Club © Talbot Wilson

With six days of competitive and exciting racing to determine the 2018 Optimist National Champion and 2018 Optimist Girls National Champion in the books, the sailing marathon on the blue waters of Pensacola Bay continued today with the first of three days of Team Racing on the menu. The 2018 Optimist Team Race Championship officially opened.

Twenty-four teams took to the water Friday afternoon and racing got underway at about 1:30 on two courses with 12 teams on each. In the Stage 1 Round-Robins each course will sail 66 races, if all goes as planned. Then the top six teams on each course will move into the Gold Fleet Qualifying Round-Robins, the bottom six go into the Silver Fleet Qualifying Round-Robins. Time permitting, each fleet will sail knockout matches to determine final rankings.

On Day 1 each course got in 53 matches, so the Qualifying Round robins will continue Saturday. The fleet will be divided into Gold and Silver groups after 66 races.

Comprised of 24 teams with four boats racing in each match, team racing is an innovative and highly tactical competition that pushes and tests these young sailors in every aspect of sailing – it's not simply a matter of sailing fast and efficient. Two teams face off against each other and employ a strategy to achieve the lowest score possible in order to advance, but no strategy ever survives the first contact on the racecourse. Team Racing requires an immense amount of skill and teamwork in real time while utilizing the current conditions on the water to emphasize the strengths of your teammates and attempting to negate those of their opponent.

Team Racing in the 2018 Optimist National Championship sailed out of Pensacola Yacht Club requires strategy and smart sailing rather than just raw speed. - photo © Talbot Wilson

Team Race National Championship Principal Race Officer (PRO) Dwight LeBlanc said he was determined to get in as many races as possible on the first day and was prepared to race into the early evening twilight if the 10 knot sea breeze would hold.

Racing will continue on Saturday and wrap up the week-long 2018 Optimist Nationals. Results will be posted and updated each evening at usoda.org.

Founded in 1908, Pensacola Yacht Club has a deep history of hosting major sailing events, whether OD, PHRF or offshore distance racing and has risen to the occasion hosting the 2018 USODA National Championships. Fielding 130 volunteers and 38 support boats over eight days is no small accomplishment, but the club and it's leadership has mixed in true southern hospitality to make the regatta appear seamless.

Pensacola Yacht Club Commodore James Reeves states, "I know these kids are having a fantastic time and are truly out there racing hard and having fun. I hope they tell are their friends about the hospitality of Pensacola Yacht Club. We're proud to be hosting them this year."

Full four boat teams represent Canada, Great Britain and the USA and many of the teams are composed of young sailors from multiple countries. - photo © Talbot Wilson

In the Optimist National Championship Race sailed on July 15-18, Stephan Baker of Miami led all sailors with 9 points (1,(4),2,1,3,1,1). Maithe Ebdrup of Denmark was second with 12 points (3,3,1,2,1,2,87/BFD) and Cort Snyder of Coral Gables FL grabbed 3rdwith 18 points (4,(10/SCP),3,4,1,2,4). Top girl was Laura Hamilton with 27 points (2,15,1,5,2,2,(17)).

Samara Walshe of New York won the 2018 Girls National Championship sailed July 19, leading all sailors with 9 points (2,2,5). Sara Schumann of Ft Lauderdale was second with 14 points (1,11,2) and Ann Samis of Chicago grabbed 3rd with 24 points (12, 1, 11).