Opti-Saturday at Sail Sydney 2017
by David Sygall 15 Dec 2017 19:00 PST
11-14 December 2017
Sail Sydney 2017 © Robin Evans
More than 120 Optimist sailors will get their first taste of Sail Sydney 2017 today with Intermediate, Open and Green Fleet Classes launching from Woollahra Sailing Club.
Optimist sailing is an integral part of the sailing pathway which provides budding sailors and their families their first taste of competition on the water and forging lifelong friendships and camaraderie.
Rod Cassidy from Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron has his daughter Hannah sailing in Green Fleet and son Douglas in the Intermediate Fleet this weekend at Sail Sydney.
"The whole Optimist Program is great through from Tackers into Green Fleet, into Intermediate and then into open," Rod said.
"It gives the kids a really good pathway through the fleet and then hopefully into bigger boats. Hannah is learning in the Green Fleet with Douglas is in the Intermediate Class and they are both really enjoying their sailing."
Optimist Classes have had a strong representation at Sail Sydney since inception and continue to produce World Champion and Olympic Sailors who have all enjoyed and developed through the Optimist Pathway.
Caitlin Hartlett from Hunters Hill Sailing Club, switched to Optimist sailing and is searching for gains this weekend ahead of the 2018 Australian Optimist National Championships in Queensland.
"I wanted to go into Optis because my crew was too old to sail with me in Sabots and I was way too small," Caitlin said. "The Optimist Class was so inviting and such a big class that I thought would provide good competition so I did."
This weekend at Sail Sydney 2017, Caitlin is looking to improve ahead of Nationals in January by getting used to the chop and powering up with a wider sail.
Also with sights set on nationals, Samuel Ezra from Woollahra Sailing Club is looking forward to the next two days on Sydney Harbour.
"Today is supposed to be 10 knots and tomorrow 20 knots so it will be a bit of fun out there," Samuel said.