The Tribune

PATRICK Tomlinson, 13, of New Providence, Bahamas, has won the Fidelity Bahamas Optimist National Open Championship and takes the title of national optimist champion for the second consecutive year.

Tomlinson, who sails with Lyford Cay Sailing, took an early lead in the racing Saturday with two firsts and a fifth place in the first three races. He was the top Bahamian sailor as well as the overall winner of the championship, beating 53 sailors in the championship fleet.

“I’m really proud to earn the title of Optimist National Champion for the second time, especially this year as sailing was named the national sport,” Tomlinson said. “It was a great two-day championship. The second day the conditions were a little tougher as the wind dropped, but overall, it was excellent sailing and good competition with sailors from all over The Bahamas, the United States and the Cayman Islands.”

Second place winner overall was Jack Meade of Team USA and third was Mason Rochelle of Team USA.

Four races took place on Saturday, September 30 and an additional two were held on Sunday, October 1. Bahamian sailors from Nassau, Eleuthera, Harbour Island, Abaco, Exuma, and Long Island competed in the Fidelity Bahamas Optimist Championship. Sailors from the United States as well as the Cayman Islands also sailed in this international event held in Montagu Bay.

Ranging in age from as young as seven years old to 15 years old, sailors competed in a number of fleets within the championship and the final results are: Green fleet for sailors entering their first championship - First Place: Ebba Collins, Cayman Islands; Second Place:

Katerina Butterworth, Cayman Islands and Third Place: Treysean Mckenzie, Exuma, Bahamas.

Winners of the White fleet for sailors 10 or younger - First Place: Audrey Roachell, USA

Second Place; Allison Meade, USA and Third Place: Sean Preston Thompson, Hopetown,

Bahamas. Winners Blue fleet for sailors aged 11 and 12 - First Place: Jack Meade, USA,

Second Place: Karl Panthanki, USA, Third Place: Olivia Weber, USA and the Red fleet for

sailors aged 13-15 year’s old - First Place: Patrick Tomlinson, Nassau, Bahamas, Second Place:

Mason Roachell, USA and Third Place: Finley McKinney-Lambert, Eleuthera, Bahamas.

The top Bahamian placed sailors from each island include: Patrick Tomlinson from Nassau, First Place Overall; Finley McKinney-Lambert from Eleuthera, 4th Place Overall; Emit Knowles from Exuma, 37th Place Overall; Drake Knowles, Long Island, 32nd Overall; Sean Preston Thompson, Hopetown, Abaco, 40th Overall. Harbour Island had a good showing in the Green Fleet with Casey Dean coming in 10th place.

Patrick Tomlinson was also named The Bahamas Optimist Dinghy Association’s Sailor of the Year, which is an award chosen by peers for the sailor that personifies the best qualities in sailing such as team commitment, represents his country well abroad, sportsmanship, leadership and gains the respect of their fellow sailors.

“At Fidelity one of our core values is youth development. Sports we know provides kids with discipline, camaraderie and more importantly with opportunity for them to advance in the world,” said Gowon Bowe, C.E.O. of Fidelity Bank and Trust International.

“Whether that is through the networks they build, the discipline they learn in terms of training and sport, or whether that is through the opportunities they get to travel abroad and meet other cultures. For us as an institution when we say we are built for you we try to make sure that is a living mantra and not just words. We congratulate all athletes, we are truly proud of you.”

“We are happy with the championship racing this year and are proud of all the sailors, they showed excellent sportsmanship and did a great job competing,” said Erin Tomlinson, Optimist fleet captain and organiser of the championship.

“We are also grateful to our title sponsor Fidelity for contributing to this national sailing championship for the second year.”

Hosted by the Nassau Yacht Club, the weekend events began with an opening ceremony Friday night and racing on Saturday and Sunday. A total of six races were held with the awards following on Sunday evening.

Other important sponsors include J.S. Johnson and Campbell Shipping. Panama Jack, Shoreline Distributors, Aquapure, Thompson Trading, Home Fabrics and Abaco Big Bird are also on board to help ensure a successful event by donation of their products.

The Optimist is a small, single-handed sailing dinghy that is one of the two most popular sailing dinghies in the world with over 150,000 boats officially registered in the class.

Young sailors up to the age of 15 sail the class in competitions around the world. The Bahamas also starts sailors in the Optimist for competitive sailing.