An event within an event, the Ponce Yacht and Fishing Club (PYFC) of Ponce, Puerto Rico, hosted a regatta for one-design Laser and Optimist sailors October 23 and 24 as part of its three weekend big boat “Discover the Caribbean Series”.
Forty-six junior sailors aboard Optimists and Lasers, representing Puerto Rico, all three U.S. Virgin Islands, and Curacao sailed in the event, in which light wind conditions dominated.
“The first day of the regatta we could only have one race because there was no wind,” says Jose J. Nigaglioni, president of the Puerto Rico Optimist Dinghy Association (PRODA). “The second day was better with more wind.”
With the windier conditions, the race committee was able to put the sailors through their paces with seven races total on short windward-leeward courses.
At the Awards Ceremony, Puerto Rico’s David Alfonso received the trophy for top Optimist sailor. The competition, however, was close. Alfonso’s win came from consistent second and third place scores, although he never scored a first. St. John’s Mayumi Roller finished second overall, with two bullets to her credit, and only two points behind Alfonso. Roller also received the Top Female and Top Visiting Sailor awards.
In Optimist team racing, Ponce placed first, followed by St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas. Teams were composed of three sailors from each island.
In the Laser Classes, Puerto Rico’s Carlos Sierra sailed to first in the Laser Standard. Fellow islander, Palomadel Mar Riego, topped the Laser Radial Class while St. John’s Hugo Roller led the Laser 4.7 Class.
The Ponce Yacht & Fishing Club, perched on a peninsula, is a beautiful facility where bay sailing and ocean sailing are both readily accessible. This venue will be the host site for the Optimist North American Championships in 2006.
RESULTS – OPTIMIST OVERALL
1. David Alfonso, Puerto Rico (15)
2. Mayumi Roller, St. John USVI (17)
3. Ramon Gonzalez, Puerto Rico (20)
4. Philipine VanAanholt, Curacao (28)
5. Ivan Aponte, Puerto Rico (31)
6. Jose Nigaglioni, Puerto Rico (36)
7. Fernando Monllor, Puerto Rico (40)
8. Billy Gibbons, St. Croix USVI (49)
9. Morgan Bryan, St. Croix USVI (51)
10. Ian Barrows, St. Thomas USVI (57)
11. William Bailey, St. Thomas USVI (59)
12. Omaira Rodriguez, Puerto Rico (60)
13. Mackenzie Bryan, St. Croix USVI (76)
14. Alex Coyle, St. John USVI (80)
15. Challis Diaz, St. Croix USVI (84)
16. Marina Peniza, Puerto Rico (94)
17. Martin Toro, Puerto Rico (95)
18. Alejandro Monllor, Puerto Rico (96)
19. Christopher Cilliers, St. Thomas USVI (99)
20. Armando Collazo, Puerto Rico (100)
21. Stefania Beaz, Puerto Rico (104)
22. Orlando Torres, Puerto Rico (115)
OPTIMISTS – GREEN FLEET
1. Carmen Rivera, Puerto Rico (5)
2. Javier Castillo, Puerto Rico (13)
3. Paul Cristiansen, Puerto Rico (15)
4. Roberto Puig, Puerto Rico (16)
5. Gabriela Beaz, Puerto Rico (25)
6. Andres Reguero, Puerto Rico (28)
7. Normarie Torres, Puerto Rico (40)
OPTIMISTS – SUPER GREEN
1. Andres Barnes, Puerto Rico (7)
2. Fernando Ramirez, Puerto Rico (11)
3. Manuel Gonzalez, Puerto Rico (16)
4. Hernandez Diomedes, Puerto Rico (22)
5. Jose Juan Ruiz, Puerto Rico (27)
6. Diana Emmanuelli, Puerto Rico (39)
7. Morgan Haack, Puerto Rico (45)
8. Natalia Camacho, Puerto Rico (51)
LASER – STANDARD
1. Carlos Sierra, Puerto Rico (7)
2. Jose Fullana, Puerto Rico (14)
3. Gregory Fink, Puerto Rico (20)
LASER – RADIALS
1. Palomadel Mar Riego, Puerto Rico (9)
2. Marilyn Vientos, Puerto Rico (11)
LASER – 4.7
1. Hugo Roller III, St. John, USVI (7)
2. Luis Gomez, Puerto Rico (15)
3. Patrick Carolus, Puerto Rico (19)
4. Teresa Cordoba, Puerto Rico (30)
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