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Friday, July 04, 2025
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Bermuda Optimist Sailors Battle Through Tricky Conditions
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The second and penultimate day of the Final Series at the 2025 Optimist World Championships has concluded in Portorož, with the five Bermudian sailors battling through challenging conditions. Hopes were high for three races as the fleets headed out shortly before noon, with an initially promising sea breeze.
However, the day proved complex for race officials. After the first start for the gold fleet, a significant wind shift forced the abandonment of the race. The second start was more successful, and in the light breeze, the third final race of the day was completed for all fleets, bringing the total number of races in the Final Series to five.
Jesse Savage continues to lead the Bermudian contingent in the individual standings. Competing in the Bronze Fleet, he is currently sitting in 169th place overall with 240 net points. His consistent performance keeps him as the top Bermudian in the standings.
Thomas McBain, also in the Bronze Fleet, came off the water in 193rd place overall with 278 net points.
In the Emerald Fleet, Harry Brown ended the day in 215th place with 236 net points. Heath Meyers is currently in 216th place with 238 net points, and Emma Brown rounds out the Bermudian team's standings, holding the 223rd spot with 251 net points.
The final day of the Championship will see the conclusion of the individual races, where Bermuda's young sailors will be looking to make their final pushes for improved standings in this highly competitive international event.
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Thursday, July 03, 2025
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Optimist Sailors Begin Final Series at World Championships
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The 2025 Optimist World Championship has now moved into its crucial second half, with the commencement of the three-day Final Series today. Following the crowning of the Team Racing World Champions yesterday, individual competition resumed with sailors now divided into four distinct fleets: gold, silver, bronze, and emerald, based on their performance in the initial qualification series.
Under favourable conditions, with a pleasant sea breeze gracing the waters of Portorož, two more races were successfully sailed, bringing the total number of races in the series to seven.
Jesse Savage now leads the Bermudian contingent in the individual standings. He finds himself in the Bronze Fleet, currently sitting in 160th place overall with 200 net points. Savage demonstrated consistent sailing in today's two races, finishing 23rd and 26th, which allowed him to climb 19 places from his previous 179th position.
Unfortunately, Thomas McBain experienced a drop down the leaderboard. Also competing in the Bronze Fleet, he started the day in 145th but came off the water in 186th place overall with 227 net points.
In the Emerald Fleet, Harry Brown ended the day in 213th place with 203 net points. Heath Meyers is currently in 215th place with 217 net points, and Emma Brown rounds out the Bermudian team's standings, holding the 216th spot, also with 217 net points.
The Final Series is where the true championship contenders will emerge, and Bermuda's young sailors will be pushing hard to improve their positions in their respective fleets over the coming days. The experience gained in this highly competitive international event continues to be invaluable for their development.
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Wednesday, July 02, 2025
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Peppercorn Claims Victory in Tight Wednesday Night Sailing
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The Wednesday Night Sailing Series continued its thrilling run on Race Day 12 last night, with the waters of Hamilton Harbour and the Great Sound playing host to competitive yacht racing. In a testament to the effectiveness of handicap systems, Peppercorn emerged victorious on corrected time, demonstrating that the fastest boat across the line doesn't always claim the ultimate prize.
A total of 32 boats went to the starting line, making for a busy and exciting fleet. "Nasty Medicine" was the first boat to physically cross the line on the night, clocking an elapsed time of 1 hour, 9 minutes, and 28 seconds (1:09:28). However, after their handicap was applied, their corrected time of 1 hour, 16 minutes, and 12 seconds (1:16:12) saw them finish 27th on the night.
"Scatteraction" was the second boat to cross the line, with an elapsed time of 1 hour, 12 minutes, and 25 seconds (1:12:25). But with a favourable corrected time of 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 32 seconds (1:08:32), they secured a strong second place. "Airforce", who were winners on corrected time last week, were the third boat to cross the line, clocking 1 hour, 13 minutes, and 23 seconds (1:13:23), but their corrected time of 1 hour, 9 minutes, and 27 seconds (1:09:27) saw them finish sixth on the night.
It was "Peppercorn" that ultimately took the win. Despite being the 10th boat to cross the line with an elapsed time of 1 hour, 20 minutes, and 12 seconds (1:20:12), their exceptional corrected time of 1 hour, 7 minutes, and 52 seconds (1:07:52) earned them the hard-fought victory on the night. Finishing in third place was "Menace" with a corrected time of 1 hour, 9 minutes, and 7 seconds (1:09:07).
The results from Race Day 12 further underscore the competitive nature of the Wednesday Night Sailing Series, where strategic sailing and accurate handicapping often dictate the final standings.
Wednesday Night Race Day 12 Results
1:07:52 Peppercorn
1:08:32 Scatteraction
1:09:07 Menace
1:09:08 Solna II
1:09:18 Celerity
1:09:27 Airforce
1:10:04 Encore
1:10:35 Shadow
1:10:36 Blitz
1:11:10 Jitterbug
1:11:15 RS 21 6
1:11:19 Passion
1:11:34 Back in Black
1:11:43 RS 21 5
1:11:49 Windfire
1:12:12 Yabsta
1:12:27 Tiburon
1:12:27 RS 21 2
1:12:37 Lix
1:12:38 Shogun
1:12:48 Fat Tuesday
1:12:54 Lorato Makato
1:13:58 RS 21 3
1:14:19 RS 21 1
1:14:26 Stormy
1:15:08 RS 21 4
1:16:12 Nasty Medicine
1:16:40 Tiddlewink
1:17:42 Crossfire
1:26:01 Swoon
1:26:14 Severn
RET Impulse
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Wednesday, July 02, 2025
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Bermuda Exit Team Racing as Spain Crowned Champions
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Under a pleasant sea breeze of around 10 knots and on a beautiful, sunny, and warm summer day, race officials successfully concluded the second day of team racing at the 2025 Optimist World Championship in Portorož. The day saw thrilling duels and culminated in a new world champion being crowned.
Team Bermuda, comprising Emma Brown, Harry Brown, Thomas McBain, Heath Meyers, and Jesse Savage, took to the water to participate in the competitive team racing format. Despite their best efforts, the Bermudian quintet faced a tough challenge against eventual Champions Spain, going down to the formidable European squad.
The top 16 teams advanced to the day’s decisive races. Utilizing the double elimination system, all scheduled races were completed, and the young sailors demonstrated impressive sailing and tactical skills throughout.
In the semi-finals, Singapore defeated a strong USA team, earning their spot in the gold medal match against Spain. The final duel proved to be a dominant display from the Spanish team. Spain won both races against Singapore, securing the championship title with a decisive 2-0 victory to be crowned the 2025 Optimist Team Racing World Champions.
While Bermuda's team racing journey concluded earlier in the day, the experience of competing against the world's best, including the champions and finalists, provides invaluable lessons for the island's promising young sailors.
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Tuesday, July 01, 2025
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Team Racing Takes Over Optimist World Championship
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After successfully navigating the individual qualification series over the first three racing days, the Optimist World Championship today shifted its focus to the highly anticipated team racing competition.
Team Bermuda, comprising Emma Brown, Harry Brown, Thomas McBain, Heath Meyers, and Jesse Savage, took to the water with high hopes. The morning, however, began with a challenge. Morning clouds did not promise much wind, and while the race committee, hoping for an improvement, invited the sailors onto the water shortly after 11 AM, the light breeze soon disappeared completely. After an hour of waiting, the sailors were sent back to shore.
Fortune smiled in the afternoon as the crucial sea breeze finally stabilized at around a promising 6–7 knots. With conditions improving, 48 teams headed out to two race courses. To ensure that a substantial portion of the team races could be completed, the race committee made a strategic decision to replace the standard double elimination format with a more streamlined single elimination system. This change allows for the full first phase of the team races to be concluded.
Tomorrow, the organizers are once again expecting a reliable sea breeze and are hoping to end the day by crowning the 2025 Optimist Team Racing World Champions. Bermuda will be keen to make their mark on this exciting segment of the Championship.
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