The Tribune

THE Optimist South American Championships kick off on October 8 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with the top Optimist sailors from around the world with an age restriction of 8-15 years old competing.

This week long major international junior sailing event is held annually at different venues around the South American continent and this year the young participants are lucky to be sailing out of the spectacular Rio de Janeiro Yacht Club.

Four Bahamians will be travelling to this event next week to represent the Bahamas following their participation in the Fidelity Bahamas Optimist National Championships, which takes place October 1-2 in Montagu Bay.

Team Bahamas comprises of 14-year-old Eliza Denning, 15-year-old Zane Munro and 12-year-old Patrick Tomlinson, who all train with Lyford Cay Sailing and 14-year-old Norman Cartwright, who sails with The Bahamas National Sailing School.

These extremely accomplished young sailors are all high in our junior national sailing rankings and have all recently taken part in other international events including the Optimist World Championships in Turkey and the Optimist European Championships in Denmark.

There will be 21 nations represented at The South American Championship with 165 children currently registered on the entry list.

Competition will be stiff, but Team Bahamas is an incredible group of children who are extremely dedicated and passionate about their sport and all four are extremely proud to be representing The Bahamas on the international arena again this year. Stay tuned for more news on the Optimist National Championship this weekend, graciously sponsored by Fidelity Bank. And coming up in November, The Nassau Yacht Club is also hosting The Optimist North American Championships, which will bring hundreds of young sailors and their entourage into Nassau from all corners of the world for the largest ever sailing event in the country.