The Tribune

THE ninth annual Bahamas Youth Olympic Championship was held March 26-27, hosted by The Bahamas National Sailing School and The Nassau Yacht Club, with sailing in Montagu Bay.

There were 60 participating sailors, ranging in age from eight to 17 years old, who sailed in three different single-handed boat classes - the Optimist, Laser and Sunfish.

The New Providence sailors were joined by a contingent from Exuma Sailing Club and The Eleuthera Sailing Academy.

The race committee ran four races for each fleet on Saturday, with the sailors enjoying a comfortable 10 to 12 knots of breeze.

On Sunday the wind was somewhat heavier and whilst the Sunfish, Laser and Optimist Championship fleets managed three races, it was decided that the wind was too heavy for the less experienced green fleet Optimists, who did not race.

The 10 boat Laser fleet was won by Johnny Mindorff (Lyford Cay) with Joshua Weech (Bahamas National Sailing School) in a close second position, just one point behind. Alvin McKenzie (Exuma) placed third.

The Sunfish fleet also had a very close finish with just three points separating the top three.

Eugene Oldfield (RNSC) finished in third, Tanaj Manos (Exuma) was second and Nicholas Davis (RNSC) took first place.

The 13-boat green fleet of Optimists was won by Yemaya Hauber (Eleuthera) with just one point separating the second place which was awarded to Sky Parker (NYC).

Third place went to Sophia Briard (Royal Nassau Sailing Club).

The competition on the Optimist Championship course was very strong during this event. The 28 participating sailors are battling for their national rankings in order to qualify for the international race team.

Those who qualify will represent The Bahamas at the Optimist World Championships this summer in Turkey and The Optimist North American Championships (OPTINAM) which is being held here in Nassau in November.

Craig Ferguson, of the Nassau Yacht Club, had a superb weekend of racing and won first place.

In second place was Finley McKinney-Lambert (Eleuthera) and in third was Kaeman Floyd (Nassau Yacht Club). Zane Munro and Mary Jac Nash, both Lyford Cay Club sailors, placed fourth and fifth respectively.

The final deciding event for the Optimist International race team will be the Spring Championship, hosted by Lyford Cay April 30 to May 1.

Trophies for this weekend’s championship event were awarded to the top three finishers in each fleet by Dorian Roach, a vice president of the BOC, during a presentation at The Nassau Yacht Club after racing on Sunday.

The Bahamas National Sailing School wishes to thank the BOC for their continued support over the years and the sponsorship of this extremely popular junior event.