USA Wins Opti Nations Cup

The Optimist World Championship just wrapped up in Costa Brava, Spain, and it was a tour de-force for the American Opti sailors! AYC connections to this Worlds campaign were strong with AYC Optimist Program Director Arthur Blodgett coaching the team and Junior Associate Member David Mateo Coats one of its veteran leaders. 3 of the Worlds Team Sailors attended the AYC Memorial Day clinic to commence their Worlds Training! Through 3 tricky days of qualifying rounds, the young Americans shook off some mistakes (a U Flag starting penalty and 3 Yellow Flag 'Kinetics' Penalties) to equal something achieved in USA history by only last year's team: all 5 sailors in the top 25% Gold Fleet. At Opti Worlds, each country can qualify and send its 5 best sailors - the USA and the perennial powerhouse Italian team were the only countries with all sailors to make Gold. Qualifying conditions were tricky with one race over 18kts and 2 under 6kts, and wind shifts driven by clouds, thermals, gradients, and the Spanish topography all mixed together!?

The next 2 days were set aside for Team Race Worlds, but unfortunately, large breaking waves and light winds kept the fleet ashore for the next 3 days. On the penultimate day of the regatta, the Race Committee started 2 fleet races but was unable to fairly finish either of them, abandoned Fleet racing for the day and commenced an abbreviated Team Race Worlds - a single elimination knockout of the top 16 teams ranked from Fleet Racing. USA Cruised to the Semi-Finals with wins against Germany and Turkey (despite the Turks plowing in at Mark 3 with no room to 'gain an advantage' by disrupting the 1,2,3). Unfortunately, a couple of mistakes against a well-trained Spanish hometown team knocked the USA out of contention for the Gold. The Americans showed great mental toughness to regroup quickly and defeat Croatia to secure the bronze position on the Team Race Podium.?

The final day of Worlds promised high drama with up to 4 races possible and a tie atop the standings between Travis Greenberg (USA) and Henrik Wigfross of Sweeden, Greenberg owning the tiebreaker but Wigfross having a much better discard. Coates and Wylder Smith sat in striking distance of the podium with legendary sailors such as Pre- Worlds winner Erik Schidt (and son of Laser great Robert Schidt), Mateo Barker (son of Cup skipper Dean Barker), and Ukranian Garda Champ Sviatostlov Madonich hot on their heels. Miles Cundy and Minx Anthony began the day just inside the top 30 and would need to play a role if the USA was to hold off Italy for the Nations Cup!?

The racing began in a medium gradient and thermal Northeasterly and built as it shifted right through each race. Greenberg and Cundy found great lanes crossing to the right from opposite ends of the line (Travis at the Boat, Miles in his natural habitat of the pin end) and posted great consistent scores. Travis' 1,2 gave him a 6-point edge on Wigfross heading into the final race. Several general recalls and restarts under black flags added to the tension! In the final race, Wigfross was able to get ahead of Greenburg and match-race him to the back of the fleet, invoking the discard for both sailors and giving Wigfross the Win. Wylder Smith posted a 6,5 to finish the regatta and secure the 3rd spot on the podium also for the USA!?

In the final standings the USA had its best worlds to date: 2 sailors on the podium and 4 in the top 13, with Coates in 11th and Cundy rising 16 places on the final day to 13th. The team convincingly won the Jacobsen Trophy (formerly Miami Herald Trophy) for the Nations Cup, given to the top overall Nation in Fleet racing. The trophy will be on display at AYC this summer! Minx Anthony, sailing in just her 3rd international regatta (the second was the pre-worlds) finished as the 4th fastest Opti girl on the globe!?

Congrats team USA on a great performance and thank you to IODA, the Race Committee, Judges, volunteers, and camp staff for an unforgettable month of training and racing!?