Argentina’s Cittadini Wins Optinam Regatta

Mother nature finally allowed a seventh and final race to be sailed on Wednesday [July 10] to complete the 2013 IODA North American Championships in extremely light and shifty conditions out on the Great Sound.

Argentina’s Dante’s Cittadini continued his consistent romp, scoring a 3rd place to win the regatta by comfortable margin of 12 points over Singapore sailor Samuel Neo.

Neo steadily rose through the ranks throughout the event to equal his 2nd place finish at the 2012 Optinam in Mexico last year. Martina Pisani from Argentina took the 3rd overall position and the top female spot.

American Shawn Harvey was sitting in 2nd place overall prior to the final race but his 21st place in the final race dropped him down to 4th overall. However, as the highest placing sailor from North America, Harvey is officially the North American Champion.

Bermuda’s Chase Cooper rose one position after the final race to 5th overall and will join Harvey on the podium as the 2nd North American. The 3rd North American, Scott Mackenzie from the U.S. Virgin Islands, was able to leap from 12th to 6th overall after scoring a 7th in the final race. Ceci Wollmann from Bermuda was the top North American Female.

Team Bermuda’s Coach Martin Jenkins was proud of the performances of his sailors. “I was very happy that Chase and Ceci lived up to their potential and made it to the podium. They sailed well and made their country proud with 8 top ten finishes between them, six of them in top five.

“I was also impressed by the younger sailors and the way they handled their first IODA championship. Campbell Patton improved each day and ended up in 38th place with two top ten races and another two finishes in the top twenty. Joe Arrowsmith’s top fifty performance was fantastic, including his two top ten finishes, one being a “bullet”.

Coach Jenkins also mentioned other Team Bermuda sailors scoring well with top twenty finishes including Micah Thomas-Raynor, Tayte Stefaniuk, Camille Chine-Gurret, Tre Maxwell, Yannick Hillier, Peter Dill and Alice Reeves. “The future looks very good for Bermuda”, said Jenkins.

Team Bermuda final 2013 Optinam standings and results:

• 5th – Chase Cooper (7, 3, 2, 16, 5, 14, 11)
• 9th – Ceci Wollmann (22, 3, 1, 2, 5, 34, 16)
• 38th – Cambell Patton (28, 16,21, 8, 29, 7, 12)
• 48th – Joe Arrowsmith (37, 29, 1, 16, 3, 46, 23)
• 82nd – Mikey Wolmann (29, DNC, BFD, 2, 19, 10, 25)
• 90th – Tayte Stefaniuk (40, 19, 30, 25, 22, 39, 21)
• 99th – Camille Chin Gurret (47, 36, 37, 23, 18, 31, 23)
• 104th – Michah Thomas Raynor (24, 53, 11, 24, 56, 8, 56))
• 112th – Peter Dill (14, 35, 20, 50, 37, OCS, 31)
• 115th – Alice Reeves (41, 31, 10, 49, 34, 42, 33)
• 117th – Tre Maxwell (28, 34, 16, 30, 45, 46, DSQ)
• 119th – Yannick Hillier (50, 16, 53, 40, 12, 36, 47)
• 125th – Matilda Nicholls (33, 48, 43, 46, 28, 49, 12)
• 137th – Jordan Etemadi (37, 54, 20, 45, 44, 52, 26)
• 140th – Adriana Penruddocke (52, 28, 44, 54, 37, 41, 35)
• 141st – George Buckley (50, 25, 25, DNC, 47, 54, 47)
• 149th – Felix Cutler (40, 25, 58, 58, 52, 37, 40)
• 156th – Sammy Dill (48, 45,, 46, 51, 39, 47, 37)
• 159th – Benn Smith (53, 38, 47, 35, 55, 51, 46)
• 161st – Thomas Penrudocke (49, 55, 48, 53, 38, 48, 37)

Photos by Charles Anderson/www.optiphoto.com

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