After the Optimist Dinghy Selections Regatta to select the top five South African sailors to represent South Africa at the Optimist World Championships in Cesme, Turkey, was held in Port Elizabeth this year, ABYC's, Glynis Baer was selected to manage South Africa's team.

The Selections Regatta saw SA's top 30 sailors, their parents, supporters and coaches spend the week from the 25th of March to the 1st of April sailing in our bay.

The South African Team, under the guidance and management of Glynis, who is also the South African Optimist Class President, are presently sailing against 250 other sailors in Cesme, Turkey. According to Glynis, the accommodation at the Altm Yunus Resort is comfortable and upmarket with the food being a particularly strong drawcard. The temperature is in the 30 to 40 degree celsius range, the sea a lovely blue and the prevailing North West wind is in the 20 knot range. It sounds like the holding of the Optimist Selections in Port Elizabeth and out of Algoa Bay Yacht Club, was a good one as we mimic the wind and sea conditions of Cesme, Turkey.

After the first day of racing yesterday the top South African sailor, Ed Lehtinen, is lying in 47th place.

Read More about the Optimist Worlds on the Optimist Web site and see the photographs from the Port Elizabeth selections regatta HERE.