News Optimist Team Bahamas has Built Back Better

Optimist Team Bahamas has Built Back Better

This image is a hail from Optimist Team Bahamas to all their Opti friends, many of whom assisted tremendously after OptiNAM 2019 helping to rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorion. They are looking forward to sailing at the North American and World championships this year and are proud to say they will be attending with the largest teams ever - 13 sailors to the North Americans and 5 to the Worlds.

The North American Championship was held on September 27th to Oct 4th 2019, in Nassau. Bahamas. A week or so before the event started the island was hit by a category 5 Hurricane, Dorian, that destroyed the northern islands. Many people lost their homes. A great joint effort from all the teams and organizers donated items, money, and gear to help out those Optimist sailors from the northern islands who lost everything.

Sigrid, Beckmann, VP Americas comments, “Following hurricane Dorian that devastated parts of Nassau, with the assistance of Donna Graham our member from CAY, we started a program called ‘Optis for Optimism’. Through fundraising efforts, 7 boats were donated by Canada, Cayman Islands, Mexico, Switzerland, and 2 boats from the USA. Spencer Wiberley of McLaughlin Boat Works supported the effort supplying equipment and boats.”

It is the generosity of these IODA Members and McLaughlin Boat Works that the Optimist Program in the Bahamas has built back better.

We look forward to seeing the many sailors from the Bahamas at the 2021 NAMS in Mexico and the 2021 World Championship in Italy. Welcome back!