Optimist popularity high

Held in January at the Mornington Yacht Club in Victoria, the Hart Marine 2014 International Optimist Australian and Open Championships is being touted as the largest one-design sailing event ever held in the Southern hemisphere.

With 350 competitors, 150 volunteers and no fewer than 100 support vessels, the regatta certainly was a great feat of logistics for the organisers.

The event was broken down in to three divisions to suit the skill levels of all the competitors which meant that anyone could compete. These included:
- Open Fleet, which uses the full International Optimist Dinghy Association Class Rules and ISAF Rules, catering for the ‘hot shots’ of Australian junior sailing
- Intermediate Fleet, which was the same format as the Open Fleet, but  with a lower wind limit, catering for anyone who didn’t want to sail in the Open Fleet
- Green Fleet, which used the ISAF Introductory Rules, and provided on-water coaching support to sailors to help them get around the course and sail in an environment that focused on  participation and fun rather than results.

Otto Henry from NSW finished off the series in fine form to win both the Open and Australian Championships, as well as taking out the 12-year-old division.

New Zealand’s Lewis Anderson finished the series in second place, with fellow Kiwi Craig Keenan in third. Scott McKenzie, who finished in fifth, was also third International.

Matt Meaney from South Australia finished in fourth overall and second Australian, with West Australian Jayden Dalton finishing in sixth overall and third Australian.

Principal Race Officer Chris Jackson received a standing ovation from around 1000 people attending Presentation Night at Mornington Yacht Club.

The follow-up event will be the Optimist Victorian Open Championships also at Mornington Yacht Club over three days from March 8-10.

Photo: Peter Barker