May 1st - Bid Deadline 2023 IODA Championships
May 3rd - 2021 NAMS Final Entry Stage Deadline
May 8th - AGM Agenda and Proposals Posted
May 15th - 2021 Worlds Final Entry Stage Deadline
May 20th - 2021 Europeans Final Entry State Deadline
May 27-29th - Measurement Seminar prior to NAMS in MEX
July 7th - 2021 IODA AGM
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Webinar "Promoting Girls in Sailing" with guest speaker Elena Papazoglou is available.
The link to the article and webinar can be found here.
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The 2021 Optimist Class Rules are available here.
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The 2021 Handbook that contains the IODA Articles and Championship Conditions is available here. |
We would like to help you promote your event by including it on the IODA Event Calendar. Send the following to Fiona Kidd at sec_gen@optiworld.org:
- Event Title
- Dates
- Event Logo
- Event Photo or Poster
- NOR
- Website/Facebook info
- Contact Information
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1974 Optimist World Championship in St. Moritz, Switzerland. ( image: from The Optimist DInghy 1947 to 2007, Robert Wilkes). |
On March 1, 1973, the Optimist became officially international by the International Yacht Racing Union (World Sailing today).
2023 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Optimist Dinghy becoming an International Class.
IODA has a rich sailing history. For over 50 years, the class has produced numerous World and Olympic Champions, many of whom have gone on to participate in the Ocean Race and America’s Cup.
At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, 85 % of the competitors started sailing in the Optimist Dinghy.
Former Optimist sailors include: Sir Ben Ainslie; Peter Burling; Robert Scheidt, Santiago Lange, Carolijn Brouwer, and Marit Bouwmeester, Lijia Xu, and Martine Grael to name just a few.
The Optimist legacy has continued to this day with Marco Gradoni, from Italy, winner of three consecutive Optimist World Championships in 2017, 2018, & 2019, being awarded the World Sailor of the Year in 2019.
Join IODA as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary by hosting an IODA Championship in 2023. It will be a special year for all Optimist sailors young and old as we celebrate the largest youth sailing class in the world. It promises to be a year full of activities to celebrate this milestone.
So don't let this opportunity go by as May 1st is the deadline to submit your Bid to Host an IODA Championship in 2023.
To find out more on How to Bid for an IODA Championship, go here.
The Bid Form to Host an IODA Championship, can be found here.
Information on the Championship Conditions for organizing an IODA Championship, can be found in the 2021 IODA Handbook, here.
The Regatta Manual is an excellent reference document on the operations of organizing an IODA Championship. It can be found here.
The decisions on who will be awarded to host a 2023 IODA Championship will be made by the Members at the 2021 AGM taking place in Riva del Garda on July 7th.
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Sigrid Beckman the VP of the Americas is delighted to announce that Panama has become a new Member of IODA.
Panama’s sailing ambassador, Guillermo Gasperi, opened Panama’s first sailing academy in December 2016 - Sea Masters Academy Panama, currently operating from Shelter Bay Marina on the Atlantic side, at the entrance of the Panama Canal.
Guillermo Gasperi and the Sea Masters Academy Panama are providing the best “Learn To Sail” program in the region. It teaches the US SAILING standards, therefore providing leadership, integrity and advancement for the sport of sailing in Panama for current and future generations.
Sea Masters Academy Panama is truly honored to be the new National Member of IODA for Panama; this will truly mark the beginning of a new era in Panama.
Sigrid Beckman comments, “Guillermo’s passion and enthusiasm for sailing and introducing kids to sailing in the Optimist Class is infectious. He recognizes that teaching young kids to sail in the Optimist is the safest option where they soon will fall in love with the sport. He looks forward to advancing the kids through the learn to sail and learn to race programs and soon enough travelling with his young sailors to Optimist events, as well as hosting Optimist events in his region.”
On behalf of all Members, sailors, families, and friends, the IODA Executive Committee welcomes Panama into the global Optimist family. IODA looks forward to helping Panama to further develop Optimist sailing in their region.
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IODA is continually monitoring the COVID situation as it relates to our IODA Events taking place over the coming months.
The IODA Regatta Committee works very closely with each host Organiser to constantly monitor the event preparation and ensure that all is proceeding in conformity with the IODA Conditions.
We can confirm that the Organisers for the 2021 Optimist North American, Optimist European and Optimist World Championship remain exceptionally committed to conducting the events on the dates
scheduled, as ratified at the AGM by the IODA Members, and are currently working to provide an exceptional sailing experience that gives priority to the safety and security for all participants.
IODA will continue to work diligently with all of the 2021 Organising Committees keeping these goals foremost.
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The 2021 Optimist North American Championship (NAMS) will be taking place in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico, May 29 to June 5th.
May 3rd is Final Entry Stage deadline when members of the delegation are to be identified in the Online Registration System.
113 sailors from 12 countries have registered for the event - ARG, BAH, BER, BRA, CAY, CHI, GUA, MEX, PUR, USA, URU and ISV. Large teams will be coming from USA (24), MEX(16), ARG (15), BRA (15), BAH (13) and BER (10).
Check out information on the venue and news items on the Event Microsite, here.
The IODA Technical Committee is planning on holding a Measurement Seminar for Members from North America on May 27 to 29th.
Topics covered will be full measurement of sails, spars and foils, how to carry out inspections on the water, plus a discussion of Class Rules and the aspect of One-Design.
More information about how to register for the Measurement Seminar will be provided to the IODA Members in North America.
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The 2021 Optimist European Championship will be taking place in El Puerto Santa Maria, ESP from June 20 to 27th.
May 20, 2021 is the Final Entry Stage deadline when members of the delegation are to be identified in the Online Registration System.
To date 233 sailors from 37 countries have registered - ARG, AUT, BEL, BRA, BUL, CRO, CYP, CZE, DEN, EST, FIN, FRA, GER, GBR, GRE, HKG, HUN, IRL, ISR, ITA, JPN, LTU, MLT, NED, NOR, POL, POR, ROU, RUS, SVK, SLO, ESP, SWE, SUI, TUR, UKR, USA
To find out information on the sailing conditions, check out the Microsite here.
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The 2021 Optimist World Championship will be taking place in Riva del Garda, ITA from June 30th to July 10th.
The deadline for the Final Entry Stage is May 15, 2021.
To date, 253 sailors have registered from 55 countries: ANT, ARG, AUT, AZE, BAH, BLR, BEL, BER, BRA, BUL, CAY, CHI, COL, CRO, CYP, CZE, DEN, ECU, ESP, EST, FIN, FRA, GER, GBR, GRE, HKG, HUN, IRL, ISR, ITA, JPN, LAT, LTU, MLT, MEX, NED, NOR, PER, POL, POR, PUR, ROU, RSA, RUS, SRB, SVK, SLO, SWE, SUI, THA, TUR, UKR, USA, URU and ISV.
There will be an announcement from the Organizers shortly regarding positive news on the entry to Italy for the championship.
Check out the Event Microsite for information on the event venue and location as well as the announcement regarding entry here.
There are some great videos on the World Championship Facebook page that shows the excitement of Opti sailing on Lake Garda. To visit the Facebook page to see lots of images, videos, and stories, go here. |
The 2021 European Team Racing Championship is taking place in Lago di Ledro from August 24 to 29th.
The microsite has been launched and is available here. The NOR will be posted shortly.
To all European Members, the list of 16 qualified teams can be found here. |
The 2021 Asian & Oceanian Championships is taking at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, in Pattaya, THA from November 6 to 13th.
The Event Microsite has been launched and can be found here. It will be populated with information shortly. The NOR is being finalized and will be published in due course.
Keep an eye out in the IODA Website and Facebook for any announcements regarding the NOR and when online Registration opens.
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We will be reporting updates on the 2021 SAMS taking place in Mar del Plata, ARG from Nov 6 and 13th, as well as the 2021 African Championships in Alexandria, EGY from September 3 to 10th soon.
Keep an eye out for any announcements on the IODA Website and Facebook on these two events.
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