Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championships - Day 3

Welcome back to Doha and day 3 of the IODA Optimist Asian and Oceanian Championship 2015. Today featured the quick thinking racing style and intense teamwork required to contest the Optimist Asian and Oceanian Team Racing Championship. Sixteen teams, four sailors in each team, racing in a head to head series of flights, through to the podium.

Team racing is a fast paced racing style, demanding excellent boat handling, rapid tactical decision making, and expert knowledge of the rules. The sailors in each team aim for a winning combination of places. If one boat in the team wins the race, they are not guaranteed glory, as their combined score is what counts. The key to success is grouping skills into a coordinated attack. Working as a team is not easy, as sometimes it means sacrificing yourself, to look after your mates. But there's nothing better than team success and the privilege to represent your country.

Team Qatar saw their sailors pushing out every nuance of sailing, fighting hard for an optimum performance. In an unfortunate draw, Flight A saw them face off against the hugely experienced Singaporean team. The Qatari sailors fought to the end, but lost out. Another formidable challenge in Flight B, put them up against Hong Kong. In a close battle to the end, Hong Kong's sailors again cut off the Qatar sailors' dreams of moving closer to the title.

As teams advanced through the flights, stakes intensified and the quality of racing got tougher. Singapore won the Team Racing Worlds earlier this year, so were the ones to watch. Having shown great form, China was determined to seize the Optimist Asian and Oceanian Team Racing Championship title over Singapore, Japan and Thailand. There was no easy way through, and ultimately it was Thailand who put an end to China's dream, and advanced to face the first team of Singapore in the final.

In an epic clash of the titans, it was Singapore, the powerhouse of Optimist racing, versus the skillful team of Thailand. Both teams were ready to push to the end and take every advantage to win the title. In the final sail-off the race track was full of action as both teams gave their best and engaged in a chess game. Close battles, tension and thrilling racing led to a spectacular outcome with 2 wins from the 3 matches going to Thailand – to take victory and the 2015 Championship title.

After the exciting Team Racing Championship, racing will return to individual mode for the rest of the week. The competition has a long way to go. Join us for more action.