The team will be posting information (wi-fi permitting) on the facebook page AOST-Australian Optimist Sailing Team.  We hope to get pictures (sailing and onshore activities), results and reports on this page.  The link for the main regatta website is http://www.jsst.org/index.htm  

Download report by Janet Jerwood, Assistant Team Manager: Thailand Report

With the amazing growth of the Optimist class in NSW it seems that every event becomes bigger and better than the previous one, but even the most Optimistic supporters of the class were surprised when more than 70 boats swarmed at Northbridge Sailing Club recently for the largest and arguably the most competitive Optimist regatta in NSW to date.

Congratulations to Jack Graves (1st), Zac O’Connell (2nd) and Tom Trotman (3rd) in the Open Championships, and also to Brodie Crossman who is the 2010 NSW Champion.

Read the Sail World regatta report here.

The 2010 New Zealand Optimist Championships at Whitianga on the Coromandel Peninsula were wrapped up with Race 11 and Race 12 sailed in a light easterly that never managed to get above 10 knots. The AOST sailors performed well with all eight sailors finishing in the top fifty, three recording race wins and Klaus Lorenz and Jack Graves both finishing in the top ten overall. Quite an achievement in a fleet of nearly 300 boats, leading a number of Kiwis to comment on the improvement in the Australians. 

One sailor we can expect to see collecting an Olympic medal sometime in the future is Kimberly Lim from Singapore, who won the Open Division with a last race win over Jayvee Buchanan (NZ). The Singaporeans, along with the top New Zealanders were simply dripping with talent and the racing would have been an eye opener for anyone who has not seen top level Optimist sailors in action.

Click here for a link to the results and photo galleries.

Download Klaus’ report on his regatta, and a photograph.

The proposed dates for the 2011 Australian Optimist Championships have been pushed back by one day. The change of dates was necessary to accommodate Australian sailors returning from the World Championships in Malaysia. AIODA has now confirmed the change with the host club and the regatta dates will be: measurement and registration on the 9th-10th January,  followed by racing on the 11th-16th January 2011. In making this decision AIODA also considered that the dates for the Australian Youth Championships in Sydney had also been pushed back by one day.

The Notice of Race will be available soon.

For more information go to www.optinsw.yachting.org.au

There are plenty of great sailing venues in Victoria but the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club must rank among the State’s best. A huge fleet of Optimist sailors turned out last weekend for the Victorian Championships and they were greeted by a fresh 20 knot breeze that was constant at 190 degrees over both days. After eight races the victory went to Klaus Lorenz (Qld) ahead of Tom Lidgett (Vic) by the most slender margin of one point. Being the best placed Victorian, Tom becomes the 2010 Victorian Optimist Champion with Sam Hannah in 2nd and Tom Trotman 3rd.

Click here for a link to the Open and Green Fleet results

Congratulations to Lachy Gilmour 2010 WA State Champion.

The Caporn Young WA Optimist Championships were held over three days last weekend at Freemantle Sailing Club. The 82 sailors, ranging from 7 to 15 years of age were treated to strong offshore breezes all weekend. The Gold and Silver fleets completed 14 races in glorious  conditions, whilst the Bronze fleet sailed within the harbour enjoying a variety of racing, fun. games and swimming……..read the regatta Report

Results:  Gold  Silver  Bronze