69th annual Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta

Young sailors from around the globe will converge on South Florida for the 69th annual Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta (OBIYR). The four-day event from Dec. 26-30 takes place on Biscayne Bay and is the largest youth regatta in the U.S. attracting more than 675 competitors from 27 states and 23 countries.

One of the largest dinghy regattas for sailors ages 8 to 18 in the world, the OBIYR will be held at the Coral Reef Yacht Club (CRYC) in Coconut Grove, with support from the U.S. Sailing Center Miami, Lauderdale Yacht Club, and Shake-A-Leg Miami. The event, a staple in South Florida for almost seven decades, attracts more than 200 volunteers from around the community.

“Coral Reef Yacht Club is proud to be involved in this premier event, which provides up-and-coming sailors with an opportunity to race competitively and become more active within the sailing community,” said OBIYR Chair Lori Harvey. “Besides the excitement of the regatta, more than half of the sailors and their families come from outside of South Florida and spend an average of 5-6 nights here, which helps support our local economy in the form of hotel nights, food, transportation, and retail sales.”

The four days of competition features Optimists, Lasers (Full, Radial, and 4.7), and Club 420s. This year’s regatta has already reached its cap in all three fleets and now has a wait list. Staging for the four day regatta will take place at several locations including the CRYC, U.S. Sailing Center Miami, and Shake-A-Leg Miami. Event website.