International sailors tops in Ren Re Jr Gold Cup
'Opti start2 - Renaissance Re Junior Gold Cup International Optimist Dinghy regatta'
Talbot Wilson
Click Here to view large photo
The Renaissance Re Junior Gold Cup International Optimist Dinghy regatta wrapped up Sunday with fifteen year old Balder Tobiasen (DEN) in first place with 54 points, fifteen year old Chris Willford (USA) second with 55 points and twelve year old Olivia McKay (NZL) third on a tie-breaker with 55 points.
Olivia came to accompany her brother Sam who was the NZL desigante for the regatta. Sam finished tenth. It was the first time she has beaten him.
Fifteen of the fleet of thirty-nine young sailors, all from 12-15 years old, came from twelve countries to compete this week in twelve races. They sailed the twelfth and final race in Hamilton Harbour Sunday during an intermission in the finals of the King Edward VII Gold Cup presented by Argo Group, The Gold Cup was the World Match Racing Tour's penultimate event.
Bermuda sailors performed well in the Jr Gold Cup as they tacked and gibed and mixed and mingled with these young Optimist sailors from as far away as New Zealand, Argentina and Sweden. Of the fifteen international Opti sailors, twelve are national champions in their home countries. Top Bermuda sailor, Dimitri Stevens, finished sixth. Next locals were Owen Siese in seventh, Brian Bulhoes in ninth. Kalin Hillier finished in eleventh place. 
The King Edward VII Gold Cup remains the only event on the World Match Racing Tour that is open to twenty-four teams. Many of these are young, up and coming match racers who do not have top ISAF rankings.
In this same spirit, the Junior Gold Cup sponsor, Renaissance Re, flys young sailors from around the world into Bermuda to compete. This Jr Gold Cup format gives those up and coming young Opti sailors in Bermuda an opportunity to sail against the international stars in their home waters.
Some of these sailors will meet again in in the Olympics or match racing events in the years to come. Many Bermudians believe that the country's next Olympic medal will be in sailing. Sailing is a strong part of Bermuda's heritage and is quickly becoming a major national sport.
The country of Bermuda itself now offers sailing to every middle school student in the country. 'When a child is naturally competitive and we begin to teach them to sail, we don't just teach them for one week, we try and nurture them along and give them all the opportunities we can,' said Paul Doughty the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club sailing coach and coach for the WaterWize Program that teaches sailing to all middle school children of Bermuda.
An educational plan that is now three years old, the WaterWise Program offers sailing instruction and on the water race training to all 11-year old students throughout Bermuda. What this means is that every child here not only gets exposed to sailing and being on the water, they also get the coaching, training and support to continue racing and learning as long as they can. The initiative started with the Bermuda Sailing Association and was introduced via Malcolm Kirkland in the early planning stages of the Bermuda Sloop Foundation and the exploratory learning concept.
'It is amazing what sailing can teach a young person and we feel that getting to expose kids to sailing at age 11 is key,' Doughty said. 'Sailing can teach you so many things. It helps make them make decisions and gain leadership skills. We just feel that this program can turn potential wall sitters into sailors. They gain tremendous confidence within themselves.'
'In every way, we are not only trying to create world class sailors but we are creating world class citizens,' said Somers Cooper. This was the sixth Jr Gold Cup sponsored by Renaissance Re.
TOP 20
Rank Boat SailNo
1st Balder Tobiasen DEN 8201
2nd Chris Williford USA 15705
3rd Olivia MacKay NZL 4223
4th Jesper Gunneling SWE 4215
5th Ian Barrows ISV 8008
6th Dimitri Stevens BER 1035
7th Owen Siese BER 1016
8th Douglas Campbell AUS 543
9th Brian Bulhoes BER 1070
10th Sam MacKay NZL 4262
11th Kalin Hillier BER 1017
12th MacKenzie Cooper BER 1078
13th Just van Aanholt AHO 8
14th Guido d'Errico ITA 7039
15th Fernando Monllor PUR 4557
16th Duncan Williford USA 15706
17th Frederick Nygaard DEN 8222
18th Raheim Steede BER 1019
19th Lucia Falasca ARG 3060
20th Julien Fougere CAN 1324 
Credit Talbot Wilson - Renaissance Re Junior Gold Cup International Optimist Dinghy regatta - Talbot Wilson Click Here to view large photo
Full results: www.covarimail.com/userfiles/36_256/File/2008jgc_resultspdf(3).pdf!click_here!new
Club and WaterWise programmes train future Opi stars
Future Bermuda Opti stars will come out of both local club programmes and the WaterWise programme. Three hundred eleven year olds in Government Middle Schools learn to sail as part of their academic curriculum each year.
The WaterWise educational tool is for all Bermuda's Middle School children who would never otherwise have a chance to learn water skills. Everything they study in their classes is related to the WaterWise theme. They calculate, experiment, write, draw, sing, study and play the culture of seamanship. Swimming, paddling, rescues, CPR and the fundamentals of being under sail are practiced at school before they ever go on the water.
When they do hit the water, they are supervised closely but go solo, completely on their own. For everything they either do or don't do, there is an immediate response that they have to deal with. Experience shows that after completing WaterWise, their academics and deportment show substantial improvement. It is an educational experience they will never forget.
Bermuda WaterWise started in 1999 as collaboration between the Bermuda Sailing Association, the Bermuda Ministry of Education, the Bermuda Ministry of Youth Development, Sport and Recreation and the US/NZL based WaterWise Educational Foundation (WEF). In the spring of 2000 came the pilot group of 20 children. It has been growing ever since.
WaterWise founder Gus Miller has used the Bermuda model for other programmes around the world. Miller says, 'With WaterWise, Bermuda's children will regain their great maritime heritage. A portion of each student group develops a gift for sailing, and from them will come Bermuda's future.' 3 of Bermudas top Optimist sailors in 2008 where introduced to sailing via the WaterWise Programme.
www.bermudagoldcup.com
by Talbot Wilson with Laurie Fullerton 
Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos:
Paynesville, VIC
