The Tribune

Young sailors from around the Bahamas competed in the Fidelity Bahamas Optimist Championship last weekend with Patrick Tomlinson taking home the top prize

Patrick, pictured, won the championship and was named optimist national champion for the second time. Participants from New Providence, Eleuthera, Harbour Island, Abaco, Exuma, Long Island and Grand Bahama along with young sailors from the United States and the Cayman Islands competed in the event on Montagu Bay.

Sailors ranged from seven to 15 years old and competed in a number of fleets within the championship including: the Green fleet for sailors entering their first championship; the White fleet for sailors ten or younger; the Blue fleet for sailors aged 11 and 12 and the Red fleet for sailors aged 13-15.

Sailing was named the official sport of the Bahamas this year and Erin Tomlinson, Optimist Fleet Captain and organiser of the Championship, said the national team is ready to compete at an international level.

She said: “This year’s championship is especially significant to our sailors as it is the first taking place since sailing was named the national sport of The Bahamas.

“Our national team is ready to compete with sailors from the US and Cayman Islands as well as for the title of National Champion in the Optimist class.”

“We are grateful to our title sponsor Fidelity for contributing to this national sailing Championship for the second year,” added Mrs Tomlinson. “The skippers are young, but many have competed in international events representing The Bahamas sailing against different countries. Our sailors are ready...”

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.