20:00, Monday 28 November 2022, Alimos, Greece.
“Salamina” Race was the final of four races organised by Yacht Club Greece that make up the Winter Series every year in November. The Race Committee of Y.C.G. opted for two laps of a triangle course instead of two windward-leeward scheduled on Sunday, as a safe choice for the northerly gusty conditions that clocked up to 30 knots. All three O.S.A. Dehler 30ods supported by LALIZAS showed up for the upwind start of the 17 mile course selecting different sail configurations to explore performance variations of the Dehler 30 One Design. After a wet and wild ride for almost three hours Optimum 4, AETHER-Eviol and LAVORO III scored 4th, 5th and DNF respectively in the ORC Performance 2 class. By posting steady results in all four Winter Series Races OPTIMUM 4 won the series with AETHER-Eviol grasping the bronze position in ORC Performance 2 class. OPTIMUM 4 competed on Saturday too in Fleves Race, a 20-mile coastal race organised by Nautical Club Amphitheas from Faliro, round a mark in Fleves island and back. Grey skies and light tricky wind conditions prevailed and although OPTIMUM 4 crossed the finish line second, on handicap had to settle for 8th in ORC Performance 2 class and 12th in ORC Performance overall out of 15 entries.
“Win or loose, racing in light winds on Saturday to full-on conditions on Sunday proves that our sport is never boring. The Dehler 30od is definitely a little rocket and rewards a hard working crew by matching the wind speed with the Code0 in light winds and convincingly flying downwind in the heavy stuff. On Saturday we had two female newcomers joining four Team OPTIMUM members fighting stop-n’-go conditions for five hours to finish a 19,2 mile coastal race. On Sunday, the same six Team OPTIMUM members from Winter Series Race 3 on last Sunday got together and enjoyed ourselves pushing on the edge both upwind and downwind to hold on the Winter Series top spot throughout all 4 races/. I bet we managed the top speed downwind among the fleet on Sunday as we recorded 18,3 knots more than once in 30+ knots of wind. I call it adrenaline sailing and it is good fun to be in such high end conditions with mates you trust and share common experiences” said Team OPTIMUM and OPTIMUM Sailing Academy co-Principal Periklis Livas who crewed as a trimmer on Saturday and as a bowman on Sunday.
So, did the 2022 season came to an end? Well there are two more races the next two Sundays that Team OPTIMUM usually skips but OPTIMUM Sailing Academy supported by LALIZAS has requests from more newcomers to join, so… stay tuned!
It is not Christmas yet after all…