Nineteen countries represented in Optinam 2013 opening ceremony

The official opening of the 2013 International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA) North American Championship will take place this Thursday, July 4th at 6:30 pm in Queen Elizabeth Park.  180 competitors from 19 countries plus their team leaders and coaches will parade from Point Pleasant next to the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, up Front St.and then partially up Queen St before entering the park to be greeted by the Sea Cadets.  The procession will be led by the Bermuda Regiment band. 

Local officials and dignitaries including the Governor,  His Excellency the Hon. George Ferguson, will welcome the competitors to Bermuda, some of whom have come as far as Singapore, Japan and New Zealand.  Team Bermuda consists of 20 sailors and is one of the larger teams sailing in the regatta.  All teams will be wearing their team uniforms and will designate a flag bearer to lead their country.

“Optinam”, as it is commonly called, will be declared offically “open” by Quino Nigaglioni, IODA Vice President from Puerto Rico and all attention will then fall on Bermuda’s famous Gombey’s to close the ceremony.  Members of the public are encouraged to join the sailors for the opening festivities and witness the start of the largest single one-design class championship ever to grace Bermuda’s shores. 

Racing starts on Friday, July 5th and will continue on the 6th in the Great Sound.  Sunday, July 7th’s sailing will take place just off the Fairmont Hamilton Princess dock.  Spectators will be able to witness the Team Racing event, which will see countries field four boat teams to race against each other in a knock-out round robin format.  After a day off on Monday, individual racing continues in the Great Sound on July 9th and 10th with a prize presentation following racing on the last day at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess, host hotel for the regatta.

Optinam 2013 is organized by the Bermuda Optimist Dinghy Association (BODA) in conjunction with the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (RBYC).  The land based headquarters for the regatta is Barr’s Bay Park.

Sponsors for Optinam 2013 include the Department of Tourism, Department of Youth and Sport, Bank of Bermuda Foundation, Corporation of Hamilton, Fairmont Hamilton Princess, Tokio Millennium Re, ACE, XL, Colonial, Butterfield and Vallis, Quo Vadis, Jardines, Barritt’s, BCM McAlpine, Buzz, The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, Bermuda Container Line, Cellone, Bermuda Forwarders and Markel.

Follow the action on the event website at www.optinam2013.org or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OptinamBermuda2013