LYC Juniors Qualify for Optimist National and Development Teams

May 3, 2009
Darien, CT

       The 2009 Optimist Team Trials featured light air and

       competitive racing

After a hard winter and spring of practice, eight LJYC sailors competed at the 2009 Optimist National Team Trials at Noroton YC, which featured 210 of the country’s best Optimist sailors competing in 12 predominantly light air races over 4 days. Sailors at the Team Trials can qualify for the national team and the right to represent the United States in regattas such as the World Championship and the European Championship.

Only two of the eight LJYC sailors had competed at the Trials before, and for Reinier Eenkema van Dijk and Drew Gallagher, the experience paid off as both qualified for the U.S. National Team, placing 22nd and 33rd overall respectively. Reinier sailed consistently and only counted one race outside of the top 20, while Drew, after winning the first race, had to grind back after being one of several boats flagged with a non-excludable disqualification for a Rule 42 (kinetics) violation, rebounding with a 7,3,4,4 among his final five races to clinch the spot. Both Reinier and Drew will earn the right to represent the United States at international Optimist regattas to be named later once the sailors ahead of them pick events.

Joining them on the National Team is new LYC member Harry Koeppel, who was the top finisher of any Long Island Sound Optimist sailor, finishing 15th overall. Ty Ingram finished 77th overall, initially qualifying for the U.S. Development Team but later being selected for the U.S. National Team to join Reinier, Drew and Harry.

Jack Budill finished 89th overall and Casey Klingler finished 103rd overall, with both earning spots on the U.S. Development Team. Other LJYCers competing at Trials included Matt Kaplan (138th), Chrissie Klingler (155th) and Elizabeth Hansen (188th).

 

Complete results are posted on the U.S. Optimist Dinghy

Association website.