New USODA Team Race Championship Entry Deadline Set.

PENSACOLA, Florida, March 27, 2018 — The team entry deadline for Pensacola’s 2018 Optimist Team Race National Championship has been extended. The new team entry deadline is midnight CDT, Monday, May 21, 2018. The names of the individual four or five team members are not due until Midnight July 5. The amended NOR is posted at www.usoda.org under 'USODA Regatta Calendar'.
 
Regatta Chairman Tom Pace commented on the change, “This 2018 USODA Team Racing National Championship is focused on inclusion of all interested teams in order to have the deepest and most competitive fleet possible.”
 
“By extending the deadline for registration, we hope to give a better opportunity for racers, coaches, and families to participate. We encourage all to make plans to attend this Team Race National Championship. Pensacola Yacht Club plans to make it the best ever - please register today at www.usoda.org.”
 
“The new deadline,” said Hal Smith, Pensacola Yacht Club’s Fleet Captain, “is more consistent with the deadlines for previous Optimist Team Race National Championships. The deadline for the 2015 event in Pensacola was similar and worked well, generating 26 competitive teams.”

And competition promises to be stiff as the first place USA team meeting the Team Race Eligibility requirements from the Gold Fleet will qualify to represent the USODA at the 31st Opti Team Cup Berlin in Germany, October 25-28, 2018.
 
Team racing is the finale of a weeklong three-event optimist racing, USODA spectacular on Pensacola Bay, Florida. After check-in and measurement on July 13-14, the 2018 Optimist National Championship racing is scheduled for July 15-18, the Optimist Girls Championship is July 19, and team racing wraps it up.

About the 2018 Optimist Nationals 
Pensacola Yacht Club is hosting the four-day Optimist National Championship, the one-day Optimist Girls National Championship, and the three-day Optimist Team Race National Championship. Check out PYC’s event site usoda2018optinationals.com and on Facebook at USODA Nationals for updates and details.
 
Check-in and measurement for these strict one-design eight-foot prams will be July 13-14. Racing is scheduled for July 15-22, 2018.

The overall Optimist National Championship leads the schedule on July 15-16-17-18. The Optimist Girls National Championship will be sailed July 19 and the Optimist Team Race Championship wrap up the action July 20-21-22. Prizes are awarded after each event.
 
Make lodging reservations through Pensacola’s central tourism bureau at www.VisitPensacola.com and get more Pensacola area sports information at www.pensacolasports.org. Pensacola Sports and the Florida Sports Association www.flasports.com both support the Optimist Nationals at PYC.
 

For More Information
Contact:
Tom Pace, Jr.— Chairman
Mobile: 850-572-6727
Email: tomracechair@gmail.com