Seabrook, TX:
Although the conditions weren’t great at all, results came up the opposite way with the Lakewood Team placing eight sailors in the Top 10 and claiming the overall win in the Red, Blue, White and Girls Fleet as well as winning the Regatta Overall.
The 17/18 Season for the Gold and Silver Optimist Fleet officially started last weekend with the celebration of the USODA Mid America Champs in Fort Worth, Dallas, and 22 sailors representing the Lakewood Team.
Fort Worth Boat Club was the Yacht Club organizer, and the event was part of the TSA Circuit, which meant the Lasers, 420’s and Green Fleet participated in the competition as well.
Following the routine of the summer, conditions were extremely difficult and challenging, with very shifty and puffy winds throughout the weekend that allowed the Race Committee to run only three races for the entire Regatta, all of them sailed on Saturday. Unfortunately, Sunday ended up with no racing which meant no throwout.
Tony Slowik continued to show a very strong shape after a successful Summer and took the overall win and the Top Red Feet sailor award after a very consistent set of races on Saturday, winning by a margin of 20 points. Following Tony was Scott Mather, who despite a 20th in the first race came back strong to finish 2nd overall and 1st in the Blue Fleet. The next Lakewood sailor was Zach Brown, who surprised everyone and placed 4th overall and 1st in White Fleet with Stephen Momeier closing the Top 5 after a very consistent day and getting the 3rd place in the Blue Fleet.
Next in the Top 10 finished William Baker, who got 6th overall and 2nd in White Fleet followed by Eric Jayawant in 7th and 2nd in Red Fleet, Matias Martin in 9th and Ava Anderson in 10th, who at the same time got the first girl award for the first time in her Opti career.
Inside the Top 20, another Lakewood sailor, Maddie Janzen who claimed the 11th place overall, 3rd in White and 2nd in Girls and at the same time secured her spot for the 2018 Team Trials, raising the number of qualified sailors to 16.
For the rest of the Lakewood sailors, a bit of inconsistency, UFD’s and struggle in the starts but lots of stuff learned for future Regattas. Mathieu Brown finished 21st, followed by Noah Zittrer (UFD) in 22nd and Nathan Pine in 23rd to close the Top 30.
More Lakewood sailors participated with Lucas Tenrreiro in 31st (UFD), Max Bettis in 32nd (5th in the last race!), Drew Gourley in 33rd, Emilie Janzen in 38th, Cole Gourley in 39th (rounded the mark first in the last race!), James Pine 40th (UFD), Brayden Benitz 45th, Tanner Ward in 50th and Anna Jayawant closing the Lakewood representation in 52nd overall.
