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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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The 2012 Belize National Optimist Regatta wlll take place off Central Park on Saturday, November 17 and Sunday, November 18. Twenty six optimist boats and 26 Junior sailors will all compete against one another in three races on Saturday and three more on Sunday. The national champion will be the skipper with the lowest combined score counting all 6 races.

Race One on Saturday will start at 12:00 am, Race Two, at 1:00 pm and Race Three, at 2:00 pm.

On Sunday, the first race will start at 9:00am, the second, at 10:00 am, and the last one, at 11:00 am. The Awards Ceremony will take place in Central Park at 1:00 pm.

The San Pedro Sailing Club is obligated to provide the following for this coming weekend's National Regatta:

2 safety boats, a start boat, and a finish boat. That's 4 boats and 4 skippers total. The start and finish boats just kind of sit there. The safety boats patrol to keep power boats away from the race course, which will be off Central Park.

It looks like the boats and skippers will be needed on Saturday from 11 am until 2:30-3 pm and on Sunday from 8:30 pm to 12:00 pm. You may know or employ people with access to boats and who could fill one or more of these slots. If so, let me know via Facebook, or email [email protected], or Commodore Andy's mobile - 632-4101. Thanks, Forrest

NEED STOP WATCHES: All 16 of our sailors will sail in all 6 races, but we have stop watches for only 10 of them. Stop watches allow sailors to time their arrivals the start line to the exact second that the gun sounds starting the races. Any people willing to lend us stop watches will be rewarded to the best of our ability, and Forrest Jones personally guarantees to replace anyone's stop watch with an identical and brand new one in the unlikely event that the watch is not returned in perfect working order. Let Forrest know. See his contact information above.



Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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San Pedro Wins National Sailing Club Regatta on Ambergris Caye

Under the brilliant sunshine on the sparkling waters of the Caribe Sea, the Optimists sailors of the Belize Sailing Association (BzSA) competed this weekend in the National Finals in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. Twenty-five sailors supported by their coaches, peers, family and friends, sailed 6 races over the course of two days to find the best of the best for the Belize National Team.

In 1st Place - Gold Medalist is Kevin Velasquez from the San Pedro Sailing Club (headline picture). Kevin is 11 years old and has been sailing with the team since its inception 18 months ago. He is a little "go getter" who always seems to rank in the top 5. He is a smart kid from a large family of sailors with two older sisters on the team and three younger siblings waiting to start! He attends Holy Cross School and loves the sport.

Kevin is also the recipient of the "Denys Bradley Cup". Denys Wade Bradley is a Belizean boat designer and builder who has, for 70 years, built and sailed traditional and "one design classes" in Belize.

The "Denys Bradley Cup" was donated by Mr. Bradley to be presented annually as a perpetual trophy for the best Optimist sailor. The sterling silver cup, mounted on Zericote pith, is held at the Museum of Belize under antiquities legislation as it dates back to 1923 and was originally donated by Harleys as a trophy for the Baron Bliss Regatta.

The 2nd Place - Silver Medalist is Antonio Ricardez Hernandez. Antonio is 12 years old and attends Buttonwood Bay Nazarene Primary School. He is self-taught sailor and having sailed for just 8 months, he has been a finalist in every Regatta that he has attended. Antonio is a natural sailor who loves the sea above and below.

The 3rd Place - Bronze Medal winner is Jorge Oliveres. Jorge is 12 years old and has been sailing for 18 months. He lives with his brother Luis and his sister and brother in law on the island of Ambergris Caye. He attends New Horizon School and is President of his class.

A common thread often mentioned when talking about these young sailors in the BzSA clubs is the positive effect that participation in sailing has on them as individuals and within the communicates in which they live. Many of these young people have demonstrated an improvement in their school attendance, a more positive outlook on life and for many a significant improvement in their grades at school. All of the Optimist Sailors from everywhere in Belize are to be congratulated for their dedication and hard work.

The BzSA recognizes that a National Championship Regatta is a significant undertaking for those volunteers who are the Governing Officials at the Regatta. The members thank the Regatta Committee volunteers who conducted a well-organized, fun filled event. A special "Thank You" goes out to the San Pedro Sailing Club who hosted the National Championships as the made this event a memorable one for all. For more information on sailing activities and our organization, contact the Belize sailing Association at [email protected].


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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San Pedro's Kevin Velasquez is new National Sailing Champion

Over the weekend of November 17th twenty six junior sailors competed in six races at the Central Park to determine the Belize 2012 National Champion. In the end, Kevin Velasquez emerged the winner.

According to Press Officer for the San Pedro Sailing Club, Forrest Jones, the event was, "quite a spectacle, and added flourish to the Garifuna celebrations in Central Park."

In a press release issued by the San Pedro Sailing Club - Jones wrote, "Here's how a start shapes up. These skippers are "sailing the line" with four minutes to go. The start line is just a few feet to the left of the oncoming boats. The boat in the foreground has reversed course, putting his boat on a "starboard tack," which means the wind is now on his right hand side. A boat on a starboard tack has right of way; all those oncoming boats have to steer clear of him. Imagine when it happens 30 seconds before the start! The skippers all have stop watches and are timing their planned approaches to the starting line to get there just as the horn starts the race, but you can see the potential for chaos lurking about?"


Over the course of all six races, Kevin Velasquez and Antonio Rodrigues Jr., a very talented skipper from the mainland, were locked in the tightest of duels. It came down to the last race to decide the champion, and Kevin won by only one point.

The release continued, "This is just after Kevin, in boat 22, and Antonio, in boat 8, crossed the start line. They are barely a second apart. Right behind the number 8 sail you can spy San Pedrano Jorge Oliveres' boat. And he is on a starboard tack, so Antonio will have to avoid him. Throughout the regatta, Jorge was a constant threat, and he came away only 7 points behind Antonio, to win the third place bronze medal."


Following the races Fido's hosted dinner for all the young sailors while the ever-popular, charismatic singer/songwriter Kelly McGuire performed a benefit for the San Pedro Sailing Club. McGuire also helped to launch the Sailing Club's 2013 calendar, which displays the local junior skippers in moments ranging between accomplishment and hilarity. Soon the calendar will be on sale everywhere but eager early birds may contact Tammy Peterson at 610-0226 for ordering information.


Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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Come join us at Caribbean Villas at 9am this morning for a 12 race spectacular regatta. The Final should be 12:30ish.


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