Optimist Worlds- Team Racing Coaches Report

by Hamish Willcox on 3 Aug 2005 Email from the Altex NZ Optimist Team Coach Hamish Willcox.

NZ are on the podium with Bronze medal at the Optimist World Team Race Championships!!

We have just finished two days of four boat teams racing. NZ qualified 13th place- the top 15 nations after five races are allowed to compete in the Teams.

Third place was a supreme effort by Paul, Dan, Carl, Luke and Jason. The racing was staged downtown Saint Moritz - so the public lined the lake shore.

The sailing was very exciting throughout the two days. NZ had the hard draw with their first race against Poland and soon after by the times world champions Argentina. The draw works that if a team loses twice they are out of the event. If you lose once you will be fighting it out for third place- down the losers end of the table.

Our strategy was NOT to try and team race, but to start well and sail the fastest course to the finish. The reason we did not want to team race was that were up against teams that were very experienced at this type of racing, whereas we had just one day’s practice two months ago!!

Anyway our strategy worked and the team kept producing magic out on the water. We were amazed we only just lost to Argentina - right at the finish after leading most of the race. The team bounced back from this disappointment exceptionally well and fought hard into the top of the losers group to win bronze.

They achieved this by starting perfectly, staying out of trouble (only 2 penalties issued against NZ and 5 against our opponents), and sailing the windshifts fast to the finish.

We had an amazing race against the Great Britain the reigning European Champions. NZ had a winning combination with a first and second and GBR had to push us into last and second last.

Paul Snow-Hansen sailed an amazing last beat while being attacked by four GBR sailors he managed to stay penalty free and also move into third place from fifth at the bottom mark. At the same time one attack by GBR had GBR incurring the penalty.... and it was game over for them. Beautiful, and on we went to defeat Italy for the bronze medal.

Last night the organisers put on an amazing night with a trip up the highest gondolas in this area. We soared to 3,300 meters which is over 10,000 ft. There was a flying fox over a frozen lake and ice caves to explore. Then, a restaurant meal at 2000ft, and amazing views of all the fires and fireworks on the Swiss National day.