Southeast USODA Championship - Austin Ando Crowned

by Talbot Wilson on 23 Sep 2013 At US Optimist Dinghy Association (USODA) Southeast Championship, Austin Ando from Mount Pleasant, SC representing Hobcaw Yacht Club-Prime took the championship by storm.

Ando scored a 2-1-1-7 in the four set regatta for 11 points. In his gracious acceptance speech, he thanked his parents, his coach- Spencer, Alex the lion, and the race committee for a good job and for a 'little bowl of sunshine' on the course.

Ando’s next sailing stop is the USODA Atlantic Coast Regional Championship. 'I liked sailing in Pensacola,' Ando said. 'The competition was great.' At that point his mates started poking him and parents started taking pictures and shouting their congratulations. He was one happy young sailor who sailed consistently well through all four races.

Ian Moran from Rocky River OH of Edgewater YC trailed by four pts with a 5-3-3-4 for 15 pts. Third was Sebastian Clark from Key Biscayne YC with 21 pts and scores of 1-8-10-2. Top girl was Yumi Yoshiyasu of Houston TX sailing for Houston YC. She had scores of 6-11-9-7 for 33 points. She finished 13 overall.

Final results and daily photos by Dave Hein and videos by Barnes/West Productions are posted through links on the event website

The first start Sunday was scheduled an hour earlier than originally scheduled to get more races in on the day. The breeze was about seven kts from the North after the Saturday night frontal passage. The wind was steady, but the start was delayed because the pin boat had issues with its anchor windless and had to be replaced by one of the mark-set boats.

During the three races the wind varied from seven to ten kts. Shifts were small and no course changes were necessary. The committee set a flawless course and only had to shorten the leeward and second windward legs after the first race.The to get in three sets— two races each—on the final day.