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 News from Around Banderas Bay | July 2007 
OPTINAM 2007 Ends with "Trophy of Friendship"
 Kathy Taylor - PVNN
| | IODA Vice President Jose Nigaglioni, with Medal Winners (L to R) Anton Screve, USA; Raul Rios, Puerto Rico and James Anfossi, Bermuda. | 
| | Top Girl Optinam 2007 sailor, Maria Jose Cucalon of Ecuador. | 
| | U.S. Virgin Island's Nicole Barnes, 11th overall, won her first North American Championship and a berth in the Optimist World's in Sardinia. | 
| | The big news for the Mexican sailing community is the 7th place overall finish of Javier Patron. | 
| | Traditional Nayaritas were just part of the Closing Ceremony celebration at the Convention Centre in Paradise Village Resort. | 
| | Vallarta Yacht Club volunteers Mike and Leah Danielson with Mexican Optimist President August Pi-Suner A. | 
| | A final proud parade of flags of the participating countries, accompanied by a traditional Mariachi band brought OPTINAM 2007 to an emotional end. |
Congratulations, appreciation and awards were the order of the day at the Optinam 2007 Closing Ceremony on July 14th when 184 sailors, coaches, official, organizers, parents and volunteers celebrated in the Paradise Village Resort Convention Centre.
Nuevo Vallarta - If you consider the "trophy of friendship" as valuable as IODA Vice President, Jose Nigaglioni, then 184 young sailors went home winners from this past week's North American Optimist Championship in Nuevo Vallarta.
Along with valued friendship and memories, top sailors took home OPTINAM 2007 trophies.
Raul Rios of Puerto Rico won the North American title and will put the North American Optimist Championship trophy on the shelf next to the South American open title that he won earlier this year. He was top sailor overall, battling USVI's Nicole Barnes in the early part of the week for number one, and then a number of challengers through a mid regatta shift when Barnes had a few bad results.
In a hotly contested race for second place, Bermuda's James Anfossi held off the threat of Antoine Screve of the United States to take silver.
Ecuador sailor Maria José Cucalón, sixth place overall, was top girl for the Championship, but U.S. Virgin Island's Nicole Barnes, 11th overall, won her first North American Championship and a berth in the Optimist World's in Sardinia which begins next week. Barnes holds the Top Girl award from the Scotiabank Caribbean International Optimist Regatta 2007.
Joining Barnes in Sardinia are Silver medal winner Marlena Fauer and Bronze recipient Morgan Kiss, both of the US.
The big news for the Mexican sailing community is the 7th place overall finish of Javier Patron and Federico Ortiz in 10th. Patron was third overall coming into the last day of racing, but had a disappointing 12th and last race; Ortiz showed solid results in the top third throughout the week. Christina Ortiz, first place girl in the Junior Olympics in May in Huatulco, Oaxaca, was Mexico's top girl sailor with a 51st finish, and solid results in the top third of the pack all week.
Weather posed a challenge for organizers of OPTINAM 2007 when light winds on Monday forced a postponement of racing, and a schedule shift for the rest of the week. Races were held successfully on Tuesday and Wednesday, but Thursday's sudden strong winds and heavy rains meant a postponement of team racing till Friday.
Team racing continued on Friday, with Puerto Rico winning first place honors, USA in second place, and US Virgin Island in third. Clear skies and consistent winds brought the event to a close on Saturday with the completion of Races 11 and 12.
Congratulations, appreciation and awards were the order of the day at the Closing Ceremony on Saturday night when 184 sailors, coaches, official, organizers, parents and volunteers celebrated in the Convention Centre in Paradise Village Resort.
Team and Individual awards were presented, and the youngest of the sailors in the competition, the Under 11s, were congratulated for their sportsmanship and stamina. "Bullet" awards for the first place winner of each heat were supplied by sailing hardware sponsor Harken.
Organizing Committee President Reynaldo Ampudia called the event "an incredible week of passionate work and an incredible week of sailing." He recognized the generous support of all the sponsors, especially the State of Nayarit, Riviera Nayarit, Paradise Village, and the Vallarta Yacht Club. Behind the scenes support by a team of tireless volunteers was honored with public recognition, individual mementos and the appreciative cheers of 184 young sailors.
Gifts of appreciation were presented to the officials, and a final proud parade of flags of the participating countries, accompanied by a traditional mariachi band brought OPTINAM 2007 to an emotional end.
 Kathy Taylor is a world traveler, sailor, writer, and cook. Before coming to Vallarta, she lived and worked in the Arctic for CBC Radio Northern Service and was the editor of Churchill's weekly Taiga Times. For 11 years she was Captain Kate of High Boats Café fame in Vancouver, then went on to spend 5 years as owner/chef of Wild Thyme Catering. After that, she spent four years sailing the Pacific Northwest and the Mediterranean, writing about sailboats and her experiences, as well as editing Bluewater Cruising's monthly magazine, "Currents." Following her love of food, sailing and charitable causes, Kathy continues her writing career here in Vallarta as a valuable member of the BanderasNews Team.
Campeonato Norteamericano de Clase Optimist Terminar con el "Trofeo de la Amistad"
Nuevo Vallarta - Si Uds. consideran el "trofeo de la amistad" tan valioso como lo hace el Vice Presidente del IODA Jose Nigaglioni, entonces los 184 jóvenes navegantes volvieron a sus casas ganadores, al terminar el Campeonato Norteamericano de clase Optimist esta semana en Nuevo Vallarta.
Junto con preciosas amistades y recuerdos, los mejores se llevaron los trofeos OPTINAM 2007.
Raúl Ríos de Puerto Rico ganó el título norteamericano y pondrá el trofeo del Campeonato Norteamericano de clase Optimist en el estante, junto al título abierto de America del Sur que ganó más temprano este año. Se demostró mejor navegante absoluto, batallando por el primer lugar con Nicole Barnes de las Islas Vírgenes Americanas en la parte inicial de la semana, y luego con una larga serie de adversarios hasta un cambio de mitad de regata donde Barnes obtuvo algunos malos resultados.
Adentro de lo que fue una competición enérgicamente combatida por el segundo lugar, James Anfossi de Bermuda mantuvo a distancia la amenaza de Antoine Screve de Estados Unidos para ganarse la medalla de plata.
La navegante ecuadoreña Maria José Cucalón, sexto lugar absoluto, ganó el título de mejor mujer del Campeonato, sin embargo Nicole Barnes de las Islas Vírgenes Americanas, lugar 11 absoluto, ganó su primer Campeonato Norteamericano y el derecho de atraque en el Mundial de clase Optimist que arranca la semana próxima en Sardinia. La Barnes detiene al título de Mejor Mujer desde la Regata Internacional de clase Optimist Scotiabank 2007 en el Caribe.
Se irán a Sardinia con Barnes las ganadoras de las medallas de Plata Marlena Fauer y Bronze Morgan Kiss, ambas de Estados Unidos.
La gran noticia para la comunidad navegante mexicana son la 7ª posición absoluta de Javier Patron y la 10ª de Federico Ortiz. Patron llegó al último día de torneo en tercera posición absoluta, pero cerró con una decepcionante 12ª y última carrera; Ortiz tuvo sólidos resultados entre los tres mejores competidores a lo largo de toda la semana. Christina Ortiz, chica de primer lugar en las Olimpíadas Juveniles de Mayo en Huatulco, Oaxaca, fue la mejor marinera mexicana con cierre en posición 51, y sólidos resultados entre las primeras tres de la flota durante toda la semana.
El clima constituyó un reto para los organizadores del OPTINAM 2007 cuando vientos ligeros el lunes obligaron a postergar la regata, y a cambios de programa durante el resto de la semana. Las carreras se pudieron efectuar con éxito martes y miércoles, sin embargo el jueves unos repentinos vientos fuertes con lluvias violentas causaron el aplazamiento de la carrera en equipos hasta el viernes. El torneo en equipos continuó el viernes, con Puerto Rico ganándose los honores del primer lugar, Estados Unidos en segunda posición, y las Islas Vírgenes Americanas en tercera.
Felicitaciones, apreciaciones y premios fueron al orden del día en la Ceremonia de Clausura, la noche del sábado, cuando los 184 navegantes y sus entrenadores, oficiales, organizadores, familiares y voluntarios celebraron en el Centro de Convenciones del Resort del Paradise Village.
Se otorgaron premios de Equipo e Individuales, y el más joven equipo entre los competidores, el Sub-11, recibió los elogios por su deportividad y energía. Los reconocimientos llamados "Bala" para los ganadores del primer lugar de cada carrera fueron ofrecidos por el patrocinador de material para vela Harten.
El Presidente del Comité Organizador Reynaldo Ampudia llamó el evento "una increíble semana de apasionado trabajo y una increíble semana de vela". Reconoció el apoyo generoso de todos los patrocinadores, especialmente el Estado de Nayarit, Riviera Nayarit, Paradise Village, y el Club de Yacht de Vallarta. El apoyo detrás del escenario de un equipo de incasables voluntarios recibió los honores con un reconocimiento público, menciones individuales y los aplausos entusiastas de los 184 jóvenes marineros.
Premios de agradecimiento fueron entregados a los oficiales, y un orgulloso desfile final de banderas de los países participantes, acompañado por una banda tradicional de mariachi, llevaron el OPTINAM 2007 a una clausura llena de emociones. |
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