Monaco Optimist Team Race | 11-15 January 2023

Wednesday 11th January 2023 – It all kicks off tomorrow for the 13th Monaco Optimist Team Race, an international meeting of the team racing elite in this class organised by Yacht Club de Monaco with support of FxPro, technical clothing supplier SLAM, Erplast boatyard and Peace and Sport. Sixteen nations and 64 under-14 sailors have descended on the Principality from as far away as Uruguay and USA for this event.

 

Level playing field

Inspired by the America’s Cup, match racing is a sport in its own right and it is this format that the Monaco Optimist Team Race has embraced. Teams of four from each nation go head to head with all the other teams in the round robin heats, at the end of which the best go through to the quarters and then semi-finals, before the grand finale on Sunday. A total of 16 teams representing 16 nations are competing from Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Great Britain, USA, Uruguay and Monaco. It adds up to 120 encounters in the bay of Monaco over the next few days.

 

In the thick of it already

To make sure they are on top of the rules for team racing, some teams attended the International Training Clinic (9-11 January) run by Chris Atkins. With 45 years of experience in the discipline, this three-time British National Team Race Champion, also coached Team Great Britain to a gold medal in the first ISAF Team Race World Championship. Chairman of Selectors for the GBR Olympic sailing team for Beijing (2008) and London (2012), he is an international World Sailing umpire and judge.

First races start tomorrow, Thursday 12th January at 11.00am.