Dear Sailors, Parents, Coaches, dear Friends,
The 2023-2024 Optimist season is now well over and you are all enjoying school holidays right now. It is time we give you some news on the Swiss Optimist Class.
Swiss PM/SCP Championship 2023/24
As you know the winners of the 2023-2024 PM season are known since the Thun PM. They are :
- Eivinn Lofterod, DRCS
- Justine Barbarin, CNV
- Edward Hirsch, SNG
Girls:
- Justine Barbarin, CNV
- Lena Müller, DRCS
- Alina Durrer, DRCS
Benjamins:
- Tim Baïle, CNP
- Maria Luce Simoneschi, CVLL
- Aston Muntmark, SNG
The price-giving will take place in Versoix, Saturday 7th during the Member’s Meeting.
IODA European and World Championships 2024
The national teams have been officialized after the last PM in Thun.
World Championship Team travelling to Mar del Plata (Argentina) in December:
- Eivinn Lofterod, DRCS
- Tenma Rösti, CNV
- Lewin Liatard, CNP
- Edward Hirsch, SNG
- Lena Müller, DRCS
The coach is Sebastian Peri Brusa.
They are having two preparation regattas, one in July in Cascais (see picture below), and one in November in Malta.
The European Championship Team has just returned from Carrara (Italy):
- Yann van de Vyver, SNG
- Alina Durrer, DRCS
- Andrea Vitali, CVLL
- Loïc Muster, YCB
- Cyril Burmeister, CNP
- Mey Adakan, ZYC
- Elsa Kowalewsky, BSC
The best Swiss girl was Alina finishing 25th, the best Swiss boy was Cyril, finishing 53.
Results can be found on the Website of the event.
The coach was Luka Verzel.
They had a preparation camp and regatta in May in Izola, Slovenia.
Team-Race training in Lausanne and Team-Race European Championship 2024
16 Sailors were invited to a both theorical and practical training in Lausanne (National Training Center) in June. The invitations were based on the selection ranking, but considering also whether the sailors will stay in the class the next season. The training was conducted jointly by Riccardo Giuliano from the Swiss Sailing Team and Luka Verzel from the Swiss Optimist Class. SST took over all the costs of the event marking thus their willingness to keep contact with the Optimist class and with the upcoming young talents.
Based on this training and considering results, attitude, team spirit, the following team has been proposed to participate to the 2024 European Team-Race Championship:
- Alina Durrer, DRCS
- Mey Adakan, ZYC
- Maxime Vallotton, CVVT
- Giovanni Magnetti, CVLL
The Team-Race European Championship will take place in Monaco from Sunday 13h to Sunday 20th October.
Swiss Optimist Talent Camp 2024
The Swiss Optimist Committee also decided to organize again a camp for the talents of the upcoming generation. This camp will take place in Campione del Garda from Saturday 5th to Saturday 12th October.
The 8 participants will be selected based on the 2024 Swiss Championship (Versoix) results: the best 4 sailors born in 2012 and the best 4 born in 2013, regardless of gender, will be proposed to participate. The program is training only, no regatta, in order to maximize hours on the water. The coach will be Luka Verzel.
Selection Regattas 2025
The Swiss Optimist Committee decided in May that the selection regattas will be unchanged for next year:
- The Palamos Trophy in February in Spain
- The Portoroz Easter Regatta in April in Slovenia
Both regattas are very popular among sailors, so you will probably have only a few days to register.
Please track the news and react immediately when entries will be open. Registrations to the Swiss Optimist Selection will take place from beginning of January, by this time you will have be registered at least to Palamos. Please note also that Portoroz will be the venue of the 2025 IODA World Championship.
Sponsors wanted
Finally we reiterate our call for sponsorship. This year about 85% of the program is being paid by the parents. Sponsorship in any form would be welcome to decrease this percentage. On the new website we have now the possibility to place logos or banners. Partnership status costs 200 CHF for the calendar year, premium partnership 500 CHF, but there are many other possibilities including the 2025 Selection lycras, the official Team clothing, etc.
Feel free to contact your regional representative or any member of the committee anytime. E-mail addresses, the official program and many more can be found on the website.
We wish you all a very nice summer period and hope to meet you all latest in Versoix.
Your Swiss Optimist Committee:
David, Tanja, Frédérique, Monika, Jean-Pierre, Marcelo, Kari, Damir, Tom, Benedikt and Edoardo