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The Roundup Returns: October 2023

 SailGP Upset: USA Climbs To 3rd After Cadíz


For those who don't follow SailGP, the Formula 1 of Sailing, Team USA has come in with the sneak and climbed to 3rd overall for Season 4 with a decisive win in Cadiz this past week. Skipper Jimmy Spithill together with flight controller Taylor Canfield (who we interviewed here in 2020) took the team through light wind, non-foiling conditions and surprised everyone with the win. 

The U.S. beat both rivals across all metrics - picking up the highest average speed of 32.7 km/h, highest 58% flight time and executing the fewest number of maneuvers - just six. The Americans also sailed the shortest distance - a total of 4.9 km/h versus ROCKWOOL DEN’s 5.7km and Australia’s 6km.

Spithill went on to dedicate the win to the team’s flight controller Hans Henken, who was injured during an incident in Taranto. While this was ‘such a massive blow for the team’, the incident gave the team ‘a real amount of purpose’, Spithill said. 

“It was a tough moment for the team to go through, but it also really inspired us,” he said.


Season 4 of Sail GP continues to Dubai for the Emirates Grand Prix over December 9-10

Official 1989-90 Volvo Ocean Race Film


The 1989-90 Whitbread Round the World Race (now known as The Ocean Race) was a true classic, ending in a clean sweep of all six legs by Peter Blake and the crew of Steinlager 2. Behind Blake, Grant Dalton's Fisher & Paykel NZ and Pierre Fehlmann's Merit completed the top three, while Tracy Edwards and all-female boat Maiden created one of the race's most enduring stories. Maiden won two of six legs in her class, leading to Edwards becoming the first woman to be named Yachtsman of the Year.

You can now watch the official film in 4K and see the stunning moments from this legend of a race. Tune in to OPTI TV next month as we dive into The Ocean Race history and significance in our new series Sailing Explained - only on OPTI TV

New Secretary General At IODA


The International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA) has announced the appointment of Antonio González de la Madrid (ESP) as the new Secretary General. Antonio has been appointed by the Executive Committee to "lead IODA into the future". Mr. González previously served on World Sailing as Head of Sailing Competitions heading the World Cup series.

Antonio can be contacted at sec_gen@optiworld.org or by phone on +34 689 188 827

Nationals 2024: Sandusky Here We Come


The USODA has announced that the Sandusky Sailing Club will host all three Class National Championships in 2024: Team Racing, July 23-25, Girls Nationals, July 26 and Fleet Nationals, July 27-30.  The Sandusky Sailing Club last hosted the USODA National Championships in 2012, and is eager to welcome back Optimist sailors for the premier US summer event starting July 20th. Sailing and rollercoasters? We're here for it!



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