The Tribune

By JONATHAN BURROWS

Tribune Sports Reporter

jburrows@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas junior sailing team is cleared for competition and ready to take on an international fleet after completing boat inspections and a promising practice race in St. Croix ahead of the start of the ISCA Youth World Championships.

The five young Bahamian sailors completed their boat measurement and inspection yesterday morning, with all competitors receiving clearance to race as they prepare to test themselves against some of the best young sailors in the world.

The team also took part in a practice race, performing well as they continued to familiarise themselves with the conditions and work on their preparations ahead of the opening races.

Each sailor has their own objectives heading into the championships, with improving race strategy, developing stronger starts and gaining valuable international experience among their priorities.

Emit Knowles is looking to strike the right balance between being aggressive on the water and avoiding costly mistakes, particularly after his experiences at previous regattas. 

“The last two regattas I competed in, I lost a lot of podium positions in the end because I was over the starting line early and got disqualified. 

“This time I am looking to be aggressive but not make mistakes that hurt me in the end,” he said.

Kahden Knowles says the focus will be on improving his starts against larger fleets, an area he believes will be important as he takes on a higher level of competition. “My starts need improving against larger fleets. I’m hoping to use this as an opportunity to learn how to be more competitive in my starts against some top level sailors,” he said.

Abel Ponnore is approaching the championships as an opportunity to learn from the international competition and take those lessons back home to improve his performances against other Bahamian sailing clubs. “I want to soak up as much knowledge as I can here so when I return home I can be more competitive against the clubs back in The Bahamas,” he said.

The team arrived in Christiansted earlier this week, where the five sailors collected their equipment and prepared their boats ahead of their first practice session in the Caribbean Sea.

The competition is being staged with 75 brand-new Sunfish boats, which were lined up along a beach on a small cay at the venue. The Bahamian contingent spent its opening day fitting sails, checking equipment and getting acquainted with the waters, becoming the first visiting team to head out for practice.

With the inspection process completed and a practice race under their belts, the young sailors will now turn their attention to the opening day of competition as they look to make the most of the opportunity.

The Sunfish championships also serve as a qualifier for the Pan American Games, adding further significance to the competition for the Bahamian sailors.

The ISCA World Championships will continue through November 14, with the Open World Championships scheduled to begin on Monday. The BSA has also received support from Friends of Exuma, whose sponsorship helped make the trip possible for the five junior sailors.