NEWS
Optimist World Championships Update
I have just returned from the 2008 Optimist World Championships which was held in Cesme, Turkey. I was one of a team of five British sailors who travelled to the traditionally windy venue to compete against sailors from over 50 countries from around the world in a six day race series. All of us initially struggled to get to grips with the high temperatures and shifty wind conditions and I was lying 132nd after day one with the rest of the British team around me in similarly disappointing positions.
However, a tough competition lay ahead and all I could try to do was to improve day on day which I did even though I had a couple of knocks when I lost a 7th after the race committee decided to abandon the race overnight and also a 6th was discounted because I had not heard my number and I was OCS.
However, after 5 days of racing and 12 races I went into the final day as the best placed British competitor lying 82nd. After having suffered two windless days on days 4 and 5 we were very pleased that the wind had returned for day 6 and we all managed a good final day. My highlight of the competition after notching up a 14th and a 7th was winning the final race of the series. With an I flag flying I had the ultimate nightmare start after being over the line with 20 seconds to go and having to go round the end. As I rounded the stern of the committee boat the start gun sounded which left me crossing the start line right at the back of the fleet. However, I figured I had nothing to lose and I somehow found some fast clear lanes up the first beat which popped me out in the lead and by the windward mark I led the fleet by about 15 seconds. I extended my lead on the reach and the run and was then left with having to cover a very tricky final beat as a Puerto Rican sailor started to make big gains on me with the rest of the fleet moving up behind. I decided to cover the Puerto Rican and go for the race win and I crossed the line less than half a boat length ahead of him but had managed to hold my lead throughout.
This was a fantastic end to my optimist career and although I had hoped to do better overall, I was pleased with my final place of 53rd out of 250 of the world’s best optimist sailors and top British competitor by some 70 places. I was amazed at how tight the racing was all week with more often than not less than 30 seconds between the first and last boats in an hour long race and as a result it was by far and away the toughest racing I have ever had to do. One small mistake could mean a loss of twenty or thirty places in a matter of seconds. All my Musto gear was fab although it was so hot, as you will see from my photo, I didn’t wear very much!
Tom Britz – 14 years old
Class – Optimist
Membership – IOCA, Royal Yachting Association (RYA)
News Update
Tom is taking part in the Optimist World Championships in Turkey from 14th to 24th July 2008.
Development
2004
• Started sailing an Optimist in Lymington aged 10.
• September - First race in the regatta fleet at Spinnaker Sailing Club.
2005
• September - Progressed to main fleet
• October - Qualified for RYA South Zone Squad.
2006
• March - Discretionary place at World and European Selection Trials
• October - Qualified for the IOCA Optimist National Squad.
• October - Qualified for GBR Team – European Optimist Team Racing
2007
• March - Qualified for GBR Team – French Nationals, Lac de Serre Poncon
• October - Qualified for GBR Team – Vigo
• October - Qualified for the IOCA Optimist National Squad
2008
• Qualified for GBR Team – Lake Garda Easter Regatta
• Selected for Musto Academy
• Selected for GBR Team – Optimist World Championships, Cesme, Turkey 16th – 24th July 2008.
National and International Achievements
2006
• RYA South Zone squad prize for most improved boy
• IOCA World and European Selection Trials – 54th, 5th Junior.
• IOCA Optimist National Championships -4th, 2nd British Junior
• Final rank for 2006 – 13th
2007
• IOCA World and European Team Selection Trials – 13th overall
• Flanders Youth Regatta – 4th, 1st British Competitor
• IOCA Optimist National Championships – 8th, 2nd British Senior
• GBR Team – French Nationals, Lac de Serre Poncon – 18th, 2nd British competitor
• Final rank for 2007 – 2nd
• GBR Team – Vigo - 27th, 1st British Competitor
2008
• GBR Team – Lake Garda Easter Regatta – 9th, 1st British Competitor
• Royal Lymington Optimist Open – 2nd
• Optimist World Championships 2008, - 53rd and Top British Competitor
