Optimist of the Month
Nicola Sadler “Optimist of the Month” – November 2020
Nicola Sadler gets a top ten finish in the Optimist Europeans Girls fleet held in Potoroz, Slovenia.
The Optimist Europeans girl’s fleet consisting of 113 sailors sailed a qualifying series over 3 days. The qualifying series split the girls into 2 fleets. These fleets are re organized each day based on the day’s results.
After 6 races and a combined result the fleet was split into Gold and Silver groups for a 5 race final sailed over 2 days. Bringing the total duration of the regatta to 5 days. Being late in the year the summer sea breezes were very weak and therefore all the races where in light to super light air. Ranging from 3 -8 knots.
Nicola sailed a relatively consistent event with a qualifying score line of 15, 4, 4, (33), 12, 8. As you can imagine it is easy to find yourself deep down the fleet in the shifty light air conditions.
Sean Kavanagh ‘Optimist of the Month’ – September 2019
Sean Kavanagh had a strong showing at the 2019 African’s held in the Seychelles. He finished 4th overall, was first under 12, won two races, never finished worse than 8th. He turned 11 years old in August and weighing in at 36kg did very well in strong wind conditions, to compete with a strong Angolan team filled with 14 and 15 year old sailors, weighing in at 50-60kgs.
Ian Walker ‘Optimist of the Month’ – August 2019
Ian was outstanding at the Optimist World Championship in Antigua in July, finishing in 5th place overall from a fleet of 255. To my knowledge this is the best finish by a South African Optimist Sailor at Worlds.
