Bermuda's Inaugural Autumn Series for Youth Sailors got off to a hugely successful day on the water.
The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club's Hardy Autumn Series for Junior and Youth sailors has already seen 37 Optimists and 21 Lasers &/or Bytes come to the start line. PRO Jay Hooper and his team set challenging courses in the Great Sound in moderate breezes, the strongest breezes seen so far in the Series. Five races were sailed during the course of the afternoon which saw Benn Smith win the day in his Byte and Ceci Wollmann win the day in the Laser Radials.
As has been the case in the pass, some of Bermuda's more experienced sailors such as Malcolm Smith, Rajae Woods, Sean Evans and Steve O'Reily all took to the water to offer their help and encouragement to the Youth sailors. In the Optimists after 7 races, leading the Hardy Autumn Series is Adam Larson, 2nd is Tayte Stefaniuck, with Campbell Patton 3rd. Following the top 3 are George Buckley 4th, Mikey Wollmann 5th, Joe Arrowsmith 6th, Matilda Nicholls 7th, Florence Nicholls 8th, Adriana Penruddocke 9th and Jordan Etemadi is in 10th to round out the top end of the fleet.
Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Director of Sailing, Tom Herbert-Evan said, “I have been particularly impressed by the improved sailing of some of the Island's youngsters. "Adam Larson went away this summer with the Ontario Optimist Team for Regatta Racing/Training.
He has clearly learned a great deal and it is a message to all aspiring sailors that there is no substitute for regatta experience when learning to race.
Tayte Stefaniuck has also stepped up after his summer of training. I am also pleased to see our 10 year olds Flo Nicholls, Leyli Walker 14th, Rian Geraghty-McDonnell 16th and 9 year old Christopher Adderley 19th doing so well."
Ben Nicholls, representing the event sponsor Hardy Bermuda Limited commented, “It is great to see Junior and now Youth sailing continuing to flourish in Bermuda. The enthusiasm of the Coaches from all Clubs for encouraging kids to go sailing is tremendous and after all the inspiration the Optimist sailors received from the BART Clinicwith Sir Ben Ainslie, these kids have everything they need to continue to enjoy this fabulous sport.
Hardy is pleased to be associated with something so positive and life enhancing for these kids."
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