The Tribune

THE Bahamas National Sailing School, with the support of the Bahamas Olympic Committee, hosts the Bahamas Youth Olympic Regatta each year. The event was a blast this weekend at the Nassau Yacht Club in near perfect sailing conditions on Montagu Bay.

On Saturday winds were 10 to 12 knots out of the north, which made for shifty conditions and fairly flat seas. On Sunday winds increased to around 15 knots.  

This regatta is one of the four major junior events held each year in the Bahamas and attracts sailors from a number of Family Islands. There were 39 participants all together from New Providence, Harbour Island, Long Island and Abaco and results showed just how competitive our young sailors are throughout the country.

The Optimist class was divided into three separate fleets - the Gold for our advanced international level sailors, the Silver for intermediate level sailors and the Green for beginners (first year of racing).

Thirteen-year-old Tristan Eldon, of Nassau, won his second major sailing event in the Optimist Gold Fleet after taking top honours in the KPMG Championship a few weeks ago. Out of seven races he had six firsts and a second to place well ahead of the rest of the fleet.

Said coach Robert Dunkley: “He is now asserting himself as the top Optimist sailor in the country. Tristan has now gained the confidence he needs to be competitive not only in light air but in heavy winds and this has helped to make the difference.”

Second and third respectively were Melisha Higgins (Harbour Island) and Richard Spurlock (Nassau). Both were tied in points with Melisha winning out in the tie break. Melisha also took honours as the top female.

The Silver fleet saw very close racing among the top three sailors with Harrison Buckner from Nassau coming out on top in the majority of the races. Harrison, for the first time ever, won this division followed by Max Wassitsch (second) and Nicholas Peterson (third). Jason Spurlock, 10, was fourth. 

On the weekend, the winds were too strong for the Optimist Green Fleet but still two die-hard beginners decided they would sail with the Silver Fleet. No way these two young enthusiasts were going to be left on shore. They participated in five races. Eight-year-old Joshua Weech (Nassau) took top honours and Stephano was second. 

Paul de Souza (Nassau) continued his dominance this weekend in the Laser Radial Class. He had to contend against Spencer Cartwright (Nassau) and Branden Sands (Abaco) who finished second and third respectively as they pushed him harder than ever before. In the end, there were only three points between Paul and Spencer.

In this event, Benjamin Derbyshire (Nassau) raced in the Laser 4.7 class and won it with seven firsts.

Paloma Cartwright, who won the Sunfish Class in the recent KPMG event, raced the Laser for the first time and took second place. Tahj Ramirez was third.

Paloma also won the award for top female in the Laser Class. “I am so pleased to see how well our sailors are able to transition from Optimists and Sunfish to Lasers (Olympic Class),” said Dunkley. “And it is so great to see so many now coming into the Laser Class”.

Antwaun Dean (Harbour Island) won the Sunfish Class with his teammate Leon Clarke finishing a close second. Mark Fraser (Nassau) was third.

“We are so pleased to see our junior sailing programme growing the way it is. The number of students from Government schools is expanding with thanks to assistance from coach Frank Johnson at TA Thompson High School and their principal Dwayne Higgins, who himself is a keen sailor and serious competitor in the Sloop Class. If it keeps growing this way we will soon need a sailing centre of our own.”

Congratulations to all the sailors and a special thank you to the Bahamas Olympic Committee for sponsoring this event and to Nassau Yacht Club for allowing us (BSA) to use their facility.