27th International Optimist Regatta

Twelve-year-old Griggs Diemar (USA) topped the 77-boat fleet to win the 27th International Optimist Regatta (IOR) held June 14 to 16 in St. Thomas, USVI. Diemar, who scored seven first place finishes in the 10-race series, also won the 11- to 12-year-old Blue Fleet.

Meanwhile, it was 14-year-old Schultheis, sailing for the Malta Young Sailors Club, who finished second overall, six points behind Diemar, and first in the 13- to 15-year-old Red Fleet.

Tanner Krygsveld, representing the St. Thomas Yacht Club, finished third overall in the Championship Fleet, and placed first among U.S. Virgin Islands’ sailors.

In other awards, Krygsveld also earned the Chuck Fuller Sportsmanship Award, while it was Puerto Rico’s Alejandro Ferrer, who was presented with the Pete Ives Award, given for a combination of sailing prowess, sportsmanship, determination and good attitude both on and off the water.

The one-day TOTE Maritime Team Racing Championships took place, June 13. Out of 14 teams, the winner was Team USA Worlds, composed of: Thommie Grit (Sarasota Yacht Club, Florida), Gilman Hackel (Lauderdale Yacht Club, Florida), Jack Redmond (Lauderdale Yacht Club, Florida), Samara Walshe (Edgartown Yacht Club, Massachusetts) and Tommie Sitzmann (Fishing Bay Yacht Club in Deltaville, Virginia).

One hundred fourteen 7 to 15-year-old sailors, in both championship and beginner fleets and representing 12 nations (Antigua, Argentina, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Ireland, Malta, Puerto Rico, the USA and all three U.S. Virgin Islands), started the week by training in the three-day TOTE Maritime Clinic held June 10 to 12.

The Clinic was run by top local and international coaches: Esteban Rocha (Lauderdale yacht Club), Manny Resano (California Yacht Club), Mike Dowd (Colie Elite Racing Team), Bernat Gali (Lakewood Yacht Club), Omari Scott (Coral Reef Yacht Club), Mykel Alonso (Coral Reef Yacht Club), Pepe Betini (LISOT), Santiago Galan (St. Croix Yacht Club), and from St. Thomas Yacht Club: Argy Resano, Greer Scholes, Rayne Duff, Thomas Walden, Teddy Nicolosi, and Chris Sharpless.

Event information – Race details – Results

FINAL RESULTS (Top 5 in each fleet):

RED FLEET
1. Richard Schultheis, Malta (18)
2. Thomas Sitzmann, USA (36)
3. Christian Ebbin, Bermuda (46)
4. Winn Majette, USVI (63)
5. Sebastian Kempe, Bermuda (84)

BLUE FLEET
1. Griggs Diemar, USA (12)
2. Tanner Krygsveld, USVI (33)
3. Gilman Hackel, USA (111)
4. Samara Walshe, USA (115)
5. Robert Richards, USVI (173)

WHITE FLEET
1. Miles Julien, USA (361)
2. Beck Brill, USA (398)
3. Ava Wilson, USA (578)
4. Coby Fagan, USVI (593)
5. Marina Escudero, Puerto Rico (602)

GREEN FLEET
1. Charles Julien, USA (76)
2. Joaquim Simoes, USA (83)
3. Sebastian Torres, Puerto Rico (88)
4. Jake Taubman, Puerto Rico (91)
5. Halina Diehl, USVI (101)

Source: Carol Bareuther