The wet and windy forecast is doing little to dampen the spirits of the Sandys Boat Club (SBC) as they get ready to host the 2011 Optimist Bermuda Open and National Championships this weekend along with the Bermuda Optimist Dinghy Association (BODA).
78 young sailors will be based at the west end club for three days starting this Friday. Regatta Chairman Martin Siese is excited to showcase the hospitality and beauty surrounding the Mangrove Bay club along with the race management expertise of their home grown race chairs, SBC members Peter Bromby and Lisa Siese. "We expect to have some challenges with the weather on Friday but overall the weekend should provide us with great sailing conditions" said Siese.
"The effects of Tropical Storm Sean could see us experiencing southerly winds in excess of 30 knots which if correct, may force us to postpone Friday morning's racing until calmer conditions prevail," Siese added.
The SBC regatta committee has already changed the location of the Novice Green Fleet course to Hamilton Harbour to allow for a more protected setting. The Championship fleet is scheduled to race in the Great Sound.
The Sandy's Boat Club is hosting their first truly international event in their club's seventy-four year history.
38 visiting sailors from the USA, Canada, Dominican Republic and Europe will be joining the local sailors creating a record fleet of 78 competitors. Included in the entry list is the US Team Trial Champion along with the National Champions from Finland and the Dominican Republic.
2010 Bermuda National Champion Sam Stan will not be defending his title this year, opening the door for the likes of local sailing aces Antonio Bailey, Rory Caslin, Chase Cooper, Makai Joell or Ceci Wollmann to lift the trophy.
Follow the results and news at http://www.sandysboatclub.com or the event blog at http://2011bermudaopen.blogspot.com
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