HYC Race Team Delivers Strong Performances at Opti Canadians

by Diane Coté

The HYC Opti race team returned home this week after a very busy two week schedule on the road that started in historic Kingston and ended in picturesque Lunenburg.

The 2011 Canadian Optimist Championships were last week at the Lunenburg Yacht Club. 84 Championship and 10 Green Fleet sailors from across Canada and Bermuda descended on beautiful Lunenburg, Nova Scotia to take part in 6 days of activities on and off the water.

Taylor Grant, who made the long trek with his HYC sailors: Jack Marten CAN1360, Chantal Bourque CAN1445, and Thomas Coté CAN 1401, was joined by Philippe Pasquin CAN1012 (CNDM), Heidi Timmons USA15050 (PCYC), Vincent Nalecz (PCYC) CAN1373 and John Thomas Kelly (PCYC) CAN1098 who needed support on the water.

Coaches Briefing

Taylor’s Championship fleet of seven sailors met up each morning after picking up their lunches and set out for open waters off Backmans Island approximately 2.5nm from the club.  Our sailors navigated the range of Atlantic weather from warm and sunny to torrential rain and wild wind conditions reaching 32 knots on Monday. On Tuesday blue skies delivered winds of 10-15 knots.

Wednesday was a lay day but there was Team racing for those who couldn’t get enough of being on the water. Sailors organized themselves into 2 HYC teams (recruiting extra talent from the Royal St. Lawrence Club) and headed off in light wind just off the LYC grounds for an afternoon of racing where the HYC team of Thomas, Philippe, Julien, Nick made it through the 4th elimination (out of 14 teams).

Fog in the morning on Thursday burned off before the teams set out but the high winds had returned. Friday and the last day of racing brought lighter wind conditions.

The organizing committee treated the sailors and parents to warm east coast hospitality. Despite an active schedule, we took a quick walk about Lunenburg (established in 1753 and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995) and were able to see the traditional boat building technique used to create the Bluenose (1921), the world famous fishing schooner. The Bluenose II (1963) is currently being restored in Lunenburg.

All Taylor’s sailors turned out terrific performances:

Chantal Bourque finished 30th overall and brought home hardware for being the 5^th top Canadian female sailor. Philippe Pasquin placed 15^th  and in spite of injuring his elbow before racing started, Thomas Cote finished 35^th, and Heidi Timmons was 47^th.  Jack Marten, competing in his first Canadian Championship ranked 48^th, Vincent Nalecz was 60^th and John Thomas Kelly was 73^rd.  HYC was also represented by Justin Vittecoq who came 1st and Coralie Vittecoq who came 4th overall and was top female sailor.

This event was an exceptional experience for our young sailors who forged new friendships and enjoyed camaraderie with many competitors from other area clubs.

The next sailing event is the Quebec Championships at CVL September 10th and 11^th.

For more full results, visit:

http://www.opti2011.ca/results/championship.htm

For Articles and photos, check out:

http://www.seabreeze.com.au/News/Cruising/Canadian-Optimist-Championship-Leaders-switch-after-day-3-of-racing_5198347.aspx

http://www.sail-world.com/Canada/Nearly-100-young-sailors-participate-in-2011-Canadian-Optimist-Champs/87715

Justin and Coralie Vittecoq 2011 campaign reach peak at Opti Canadians in Lunenburg

You may have seen Justin (now 11 yrs old) and Coralie (now 13) running around at Hudson Yacht Club a few years ago. This is where they started sailing in the summer of 2006. Sarah and Hannah Kennel first stimulated their interest in learning then competing the year after for the first time in the Green Fleet at Fruitbowl. Then Nicole Bastet took over in 2008 for their first real season in the championship fleet. At that point, they could not have enough learning to train and race so their season got extended after CORK by an impromptu trip to Lunenburg Nova Scotia for their first Canadian Championship experience. There they met challenging conditions resulting in a 63d (Coralie) and 87th (Justin).

Corali moving up to a Laser Radial

In 2009 and 2010 they had extensive campaigns with the objectives to improve their national ranking and earn spots on the Canadian Optimist Teams attending International IODA events around the world. With the help of many coaches (Lauren Laventure, Carmen Denis, Fran Bellocchio, Osvaldo Padron) at club racing programs, training regattas or clinics, and always proudly bearing the colors of Hudson Yacht Club, they went on and achieved their objectives. This year they participated in no less than 6 International Regattas of 90 boats or more, each time improving their year/year results showing constant progression. This lead them to go to Algarrobo (Chile), Los Angeles, Buffalo, Boston, Kingston and back to Lunenburg again.

There they met similar conditions as in 2008 but the results were different. Justin sailed a very consistent top ten finish in every conditions from light to heavy air, combined with excellent race management over the week (staying in 3d or 2nd position all week with different leaders) scooping the victory in the 11th race and consolidating his lead in the last race. Coralie scored 2 bullets and was a constant top ten finisher as well but drew more attention from umpires leading to a Rule 42 retirement on the last day. However this was not enough to put her out of the prizes round where Coralie gathered trophies for 3d Red Fleet (under 16 years old), 4th overall, and First Canadian Female. Justin won 1st overall, 1st Blue (Under 13) and 1st Canadian Male.

What is next? They are both qualified to represent Canada at next year's World's Championships in Dominican Republic, as well as the South American Championships in Argentina and North Americans in Mexico. 2012 will be a transition year for Coralie as she considers sailing a Laser Radial. She got a taste of it this summer participating in the wonderful Fruitbowl clinic where coach Rosie Chapman stimulated her appetite for this Female Olympic Class.

Justin in his Opti

Justin still has 3 more years in the Opti Class, depending on his growth rate (Opti racers need to stay under 120 lbs to be competitive). His next stop is the Junior Gold Cup in Bermuda next October where he will meet 15 of the World's National Champions and the Bermuda National Team in an invitational regatta during the prestigious Bermuda Gold Cup of Professional Match Racing where Canada will be represented by past Olympic Medalist skipper Terry McLaughlin.

While they are associated with different teams and coaches as they travel around, they always remember where it all started, in beautiful Hudson Yacht Club, and always feel at home when they come back.

Cyrille (Proud Opti Dad)

Opti Race Team at CORK 2011

by Jenny Marten

The 6 member team lead by coach Taylor Grant competed in the annual CORK regatta in Kingston, Ontario.  They had 5 team members racing in the championship fleet and one in the green fleet. 

Well done Jamie Kondejewski racing in his first big regatta finishing 8th overall in Opti green.

Congratulations to Joey Marten for finishing 2nd in the opti white division. 

Chantal Bourque was top HYC racer finishing 17th. Jack Marten was 32nd, Thomas Cote 40th and Matthew Kondejewski 41st out of 86 competitors.

Click here for full results

The team gets one full rest day (!) before heading out to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia for the Opti Canadian Championship.  Good Luck, go team!

2011 Labour Day Regatta

HYC wins at CYA's SailEast 2011 in Shediac New Brunswick

HYC Junior Race Team's Chantal Bourque (CAN 1445) took top podium spot in the Opti Fleet at CYA's SailEast in Shediac on August 7. Six competitors from Saint-Pierre & Miquelon representing France were not able to slow her down. Click here for full Results


Chantal was also  interviewed by Radio-Canada satellite mobile unit and her interview was broadcast nation-wide on RDI's French Television network.  http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/atlantique/2011/08/04/004-regate-voile-shediac.shtml

Women's Regatta - Sunday 7 August

Ladies! Time for the Fourth Annual HYC Women's Regatta!!!  Find your boats, your crews, and let's go racing!
What a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon... and as is our tradition, please bring a plate of something yummy, to go with the always entertaining post-racing stories!

Call Margaret to register, or drop by the Office and fill in a chit.  (Only $5 per person!)
For more information, or to register online please see;  http://hycwomen.sailspace.net/