Another Sunfish World Champion for the Bahamas!

13 year old Paul de Souza, an 8^th grader at St. Andrew’s School, became the Junior (under 15) World Sunfish Championship  by finishing first in this division at the Sunfish Youth World Championships held in St. Petersburg, Florida, October 11-13, 2012. Paul was the youngest competitor in the regatta.  He finished 8th overall, competing against sailors up to the age of 19.

The three day regatta was held at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. The weather conditions were excellent, with a mixture of heavy and light winds. Three races were held each day. Paul’s best race

was on the second day, where he placed 4^th overall. The final day of the regatta brought heavy winds, which brought a challenge to the youngest and smallest competitor in the fleet, but Paul managed to hold his position.

Paul follows in the footsteps of Donnie Martinborough, three time World Champion in the sunfish. Donnie is an inspiration for Paul, giving him advice and encouraging Paul to enter the World Championships.

"I would like to thank my coach, Robert Dunkley and my fellow sailors Spencer Cartwright, A.J Forbes, Pedro Rahming and Daniel Gibson for helping me to sail my best”,  said Paul.  

Pre Event: Bahamas Open Optimist National Championships 2012

It is all happening in just three days time. 

Harbour Island will play host to the largest sailing regatta that The Bahamas has ever seen.

Over 90 boats (Optimist dinghies) will be participating in this premier junior event  geared towards sailors ages 8 to 15. 

Competitors will be coming from Grand Bahama, Nassau, Long Island, Governor's Harbour, Abaco and the Cayman Islands. Currently, the plan is for Seven races to be sailed for the series during over the course of Friday and Saturday. The sailors will be racing on two different courses located on the harbour side of beautiful HI; one for Championship Fleet of around 45 boats and the other for the beginner Green Fleet of 45 or more boats.

Our top junior sailors, like Paul de Souza (Current Jr. Sunfish and Jr. Laser National Champion) and Spencer Cartwright (Optimist Nationals 2011 champion), will be racing in the Championship Fleet and I am sure they will be challenged by some of the younger sailors who are now starting to sail very competitively. 

Unfortunately, our third premier young sailor, Alande (AJ) Forbes, who is one of our top international sailors that attended this year's Optimist World Championship event in Dominica Republic (along with Spencer and Paul) will not be competing due to an injury. He will certainly be missed.

The Green Fleeters, as this is their first real regatta will be coached around the course by our BSA Instructor, Donico Brown. This is a tradition we have developed over the years, and this idea works extremely well in getting the kids to learn more about racing.

If you will be in Harbor Island, come on down to the harbour side and watch our young sailors in action.

This regatta would not be possible without the help of our Sponsors. With this in mind we would like to thank Bahamas Fast Ferries, Bahamas Hot Mix, Cable Cares (Cable Bahamas), Palm Cay, Coca Cola, KPMG, Rotary International, East Nassau Rotary, and Royal Bank of Canada along with many individuals for all your support not only for this event; but for all you do for us in our year round sailing program.  

-Coach Robert Dunkley

Event: Optimist World Championships 2012 Comments from Coach Robert Dunkley

Congratulations to Spencer Cartwright, Paul de Souza and Alande Forbes for qualifying and representing The Bahamas at the Optimist World Championship 2012.

This was the first time The Bahamas has participated in this event - an event for kids up to the age of 15. It was certainly an eye-opener for our three young sailors who are regarded as the best in this country in this age group. They are all young (12 and 13 years old) and have two to three years left to compete in this class. Although their final placements (171st by Spencer Cartwright being our best) in this very large and talented fleet (230 boats from over 50 countries) were a long way from medaling, they learnt a great deal, especially about sailing tactics and the importance of superior boat speed. For sure, they now know what it takes to perform at this level.

We look forward to sending a team to these Worlds every year now and improving upon our performance each year. As their coach, I am very proud of what they have been able to accomplish in only 9 months of training which has been on a very limited budget. I have been impressed with their enthusiasm and commitment to our intensive training program - an average of 4 days per week during these months with physical training on their own five days per week. As they said the other day; "Coach, I know we can do better. We just have to work harder and smarter and we will make it to the top".

If someday we are to have the Bahamas qualify again to participate in Sailing at the Olympic Games, we have to spend time and money coaching our kids as young as the age of 8 and getting the top performers off to major international events on a regular basis like the Optimist North American Championships, US Nationals and Optimist World Championship. Getting us back in the Olympics is one of the goals of the Bahamas Sailing Association which we are sure can be accomplished with the continued enthusiasm of our young sailors and support of our sponsors, for which the Association is extremely grateful.

Did you know:
-  The Bahamas has not competed in the Sailing Olympics since 1996?
-  The first Olympic medal as well as the first Olympic Gold medal The Bahamas ever won was in Sailing?

This is a country with one of the most ideal sailing conditions in the World and one that claims Sailing to be it's National Sport.
Through the BSA, The Bahamas has been working to be back on top in the sailing world and we have a few great young sailors now moving in that direction.

Spencer Cartwright sailing downwind at the 2012 Opti Worlds.

(Photo: Robert Dunkley)