During the fall break in October, Nicolás Fracchia from Argentina organized a clinic and a mini regatta at Jan Thiel beach for the top youth sailors from Youth Sailing Curacao. Fracchia has been invited to help to raise the level among the Optimist and the Splash sailors. To train and learn from a light weather Optimist specialist, Fracchia invited Jonathan Martinetti, one of his pupils from Ecuador who has been very successful in the Optimist.
Usually the wind is pretty strong in Curacao, but during the rainy season it might drop down. During the clinic, wind was extremely light and Martinetti showed his speciality. The 20 Optimist kids enjoyed the intense clinic, the video presentation of themselves, and the skipper’s dinner at Punta Bela. The two-day clinic ended with a rules seminar given by American Rob Overton, an international judge and umpire who happened to be in Curacao with his yacht.
During the weekend, eight races were sailed—four in light winds and four in ‘normal Curacao’ winds. The race committee had a tough job with placing the marks. At some spots, rope measuring more than 600 meters was being used. The water in front of Zanzibar at Jan Thiel will easily reach a depth of more than 500 meters.
Martinetti showed his skills during the light weather and won the event. At the last day, Eugene Hendrikx and Just van Aanholt sailed very well and managed win some races. At the prize giving, Cor van Aanholt thanked Fracchia for coming to the island and awarded him with the Fracchia medal.
Winners:
13-15 year
1. Jonathan Martinetti (Ecu)
2. Eugene Hendrikx (Cur)
3. Ard van Aanholt (Cur)
11-12 year
1. Just van Aanholt (Cur)
2. Louis Hendrikx (Cur)
3. Deion van Rooijen (Cur)
< 10 year
1. Odile van Aanholt (Cur)
2. Jordan van Rooijen (Cur)
