NZL Yachting Trust Optimists- Worlds Days -1 and 0

by John Jennings on 22 Oct 2014 John Jennings reports from the 2014 Optimist Worlds in Argentina on the progress of the NZL Yachting Trust Optimist Team:

Monday was effectively another day off for the sailors with a bit of down/leisure time at SOIVA. The boys room got a bit of attention from the mums whilst Kerensa’s study was disturbed. The sailors then headed down to CNSI for a bit of boat setup and fine tuning. They then hung around for the first dinner supplied as part of the regatta package.

Meanwhile the parents were in tourist mode and checked out some of the local sights and eateries. Suffice to say lycra shirts won’t be appreciated by anybody (wearers or observers) for Christmas presents.

Sometimes you know your name is just written on it, so having caught the eye a few days previous an obvious compulsory fuel stop for the parents evening meal was John John Bar. Advertised as serving 38 beers so we gave it a small nudge with a couple of the Patagonia ales going down very nicely but it was the Boris Slam that really took the palate. Smelt and tasted like it had a shot of top shelf in it, maybe it did as it came in at 10.9%. Now I am not one for giving the French too much credit for anything and I certainly didn’t have them marked down as Beer artisans but that drop is more than worth crossing the road for should you get the opportunity.

Today was the practice race but only 3 out of 5 kiwis made it to the course. Scott hadn't been feeling the best on Monday so elected to pass the opportunity to partake, whilst Kerensa maintained her international form of finding some way to be crook when it matters most when she woke this morning with a dodgy stomach – seemingly similar to Scott. So she had mum and dad doting over her back at SOIVA whilst everyone else down at CNSI. Headed on down for the Opening Ceremony and seemed to be in better shape, as was Scott so hopefully both will be near fighting fit by 1230 (1st gun) tomorrow. According to Crystal they didn’t miss much. The other big news is that Justine has gone sin hirsute so Mrs B might not recognise him on his return.

We caught up with the regattas official photographer today, Matias Capizzano; you will have seen his name at most any high profile regatta. On behalf of Dave Johnson I completed a delivery of an All Black jersey (and letter) for which he was most appreciative, and hopefully stands Team NZ in good stead for more than our fair share of photo ops. Quite fascinating as he has just returned from a regatta/race from Ecuador to the Galapagos Islands (http://www.capizzano.com/2014copagalapagos/).

And in one of those, fact is stranger than fiction stories. Crystal is sharing the coach boat with Netherlands Antilles (AHO) who have two sailors attending; one of whom is also a Bacon (Luke).

Opening ceremony was fairly standard sort of fare but it seemed like security was a fairly big deal with the Naval Prefectura in attendance all around. Was fun to watch them having a go (third party to try) at removing a yacht stuck on the putty at fairway entrance. Converse to any intuitive arrangement apparently the deeper water is at the edges not in the middle. Can’t beat watching boaties for providing entertainment to the masses.

So having waxed lyrical about Sundays football, and subject to Kerensa actually winning the regatta, I was very much of the view that I had already experienced the highlight of this trip but something this morning actually topped it. The video posted by MBSC on Facebook wishing well to Kerensa and Jackson was simply AWESOME and quite literally brought a tear to the eye for both Susan and I - a very special moment for us. It took us a couple of hours, due to dodgy Wi-Fi service at SOIVA and a nearby café, before Kerensa was able to watch it but she was equally moved. Thank you to everyone involved, one in particular I suspect.

Wi-Fi at CNSI has pretty much collapsed to the point of being no point so chances are that as of tomorrow you will possibly be able to keep a better track on the sailors than we can. Each boat is to be fitted with a GPS trackers and in theory at least races can be viewed live form the official website: http://optiworlds2014.org/#