So what exactly are the USODA Team Trials? First let's define USODA. It stands for United States Optimist Dinghy Association. It is the national class organization for the Optimist sailing fleet here in the U.S.
Team Trials is the annual event where Opti sailors have an opportunity to try out for the U.S. National Team (USNT). How do you get an opportunity to try out? You have to qualify at one of the USODA regional qualifiers or at the USODA National Championship. Okay this all makes sense if you are a seasoned "Opti Parent" but for everyone else we probably need to take a few steps back.
As our family continues to wade deeper into Opti racing, I often think about writing an article for our club's newsletter providing a synopsis of Opti racing. I remember when we got started with our children. We did not have a clue. Now four years later we feel like we have a better grip but just when we feel like we understand it all, we meet other parents who have been at this longer and we learn a little bit more. My son, Boyd (12) and I leave in a few days for Pewaukee Yacht Club in Pewaukee, Wisconsin for the 2013 Opti Team Trials This seems like an opportune time to start blogging about Opti racing in an effort to keep our friends and family apprised of our adventures at Team Trials and to shed some light on the opportunities Opti racing offers our young sailors who are just getting started in the great sport of sailing.
So here we go...
No comments:
Post a Comment