Larchmont Yacht Club Optimist Day
Larchmont Yacht Club held its Junior Race Week Optimist Day on Wednesday July 14th 2021. There was great weather but it was a rough day wind-wise with very little breeze. That didn’t seem to bother the excited young sailors. They’re taught how to handle the occasional “dead wind” at a young age and know that it’s most expected of The Sound.
Sailors like Sophie and Taylor from Rocky Point Club were confident in their boat handling skills. “My biggest challenge is having no wind. It’s great for some of the lighter people but it’s a challenge for me!” Sophie said when asked about her biggest obstacle for the day. Sophie and her friend Taylor looked at me with huge grins and both agreed that they have had plenty of practice out on the water and on the whiteboards. This infectious mindset seemed to bounce around the Junior Club House lawn as all the junior sailors readied their Optis for the races.
Opti Day Regatta Chair, Ryan Malloy, can attest that events like these are very beneficial to the kids. “I think it helps to build up their confidence because it’s one of the few things these young sailors can actually do on their own at this age. They also gain a sense of belonging and get to hang out with some friends.” Ryan also expressed that these types of events give kids a great opportunity to work on safety skills that make them better sailors overall. After speaking to some of the volunteers for the day I was pleased to see the comradery. Volunteer Patricia Yoder stated “It’s so fun to see the kids race and to be able to hang out with other members and volunteers. It creates such a good atmosphere and community.” Laura O’Connor concurred that “It’s a great way to meet and network with others that you wouldn’t normally see and create friendships.”
Opti Day concluded with the following results for the one race that the light breeze allowed:
Top five overall:
Harrison Gandy Larchmont Yacht Club Blue 1
Estella Morris American Yacht Club Red 2
Alejandro Cadarso American Yacht Club Red 3
Thomas O’Grady Noroton Yacht Club Red 4
William Whidden Riverside Yacht Club Blue 5
The top three in Red fleet :
Estella Morris American Yacht Club 2
Alejandro Cadarso American Yacht Club 3
Thomas O’Grady Noroton Yacht Club 4
Top three in Blue fleet:
Harrison Gandy Larchmont Yacht Club 1
William Whidden Riverside Yacht Club 5
Kai McCulloch American Yacht Club 7
Top three ranked in White fleet:
Wills Gandy Larchmont Yacht Club 1
George Alexopoulos Riverside Yacht Club 2
Lucas Cadarso American Yacht Club 3
To view more pictures click here
View some drone footage of the race here (Shot by Henry Millette, Head Coach at Indian Harbor Yacht Club)
