Young Belizean sails to top 10 finish in Canada's International Optimist Regatta
by Forrest Jones 15 Aug 2016 01:01 PDT
11-14 August 2016
Kevin Velasquez at Canada's Optimist Regatta in Kingston © Forrest Jones
Kevin Velasquez, 14, who trains at San Pedro's Belize Sailing School, tacked and trimmed his boat to finish 7th overall, out of 127 other international competitors in Canada's Olympic Regatta, at the CORK, Kingston 2016 International Optimist Regatta. Sailors from the USA and Bermuda were the only ones who topped him.
Kevin's Belize Sailing School team-mate, Caroline Sersland, who just turned 12, made her last race-day here her best and finished 10th in her fleet. What happens in big international youth regattas like this is the race committee uses the results of the first several days to determine fleets.
After those results, Caroline was placed in the fleet comprised of sailors who had not made the top half in the previous days' races. Since Caroline was 16th overall after the first day, it appears too bad she could not hold that. She has 3 more years in Optimists before she becomes too old to compete in them. Her coaches says, "2 years from now - watch out".
www.cork.org/etchells-canadians