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The Central Okanagan Sailing Association (COSA) held its 39th Annual Springtime Regatta over the May Long-Weekend, hosting dinghy sailors from across the Pacific Northwest.
The COSA regatta is Canada’s largest yearly sailing event between Vancouver and Toronto, and despite high-waters, this year’s event saw 56 boats competing in six large fleets.
Steve Brunsden was the race official for the four-fleet Optimist course, which had 17 sailors competing in five races.
First in Blue fleet representing 11 and 12-year-olds, was COSA Race Team member, Claire Ramsey, who finished just ahead of Vancouver sailor, Rory Walsh. Claire also took honours as the Optimist Overall Champion! Third place in the Blue fleet was Ian Wright of COSA, who also finished third overall. COSA sailor Rory Wiebe finished seventh in Blue fleet.
Ryan Rubadeau of COSA dominated the Red fleet for sailors 13 and up, while younger brother Tyler won the White fleet sailed by sailors ten and under. Kyle Wright, also of COSA, finished second place in White fleet, while third was claimed by Hudson Amery of West Vancouver, and fourth going to Lauren Gray of COSA. The Optimist Green fleet is reserved for youth racers sailing their first regatta. Competitors included COSA sailors Max Ramsey, Devon Fraser, Grace Sisett, and Mason Mintz, as well as Oliver Mamon from Rossland.
First in the Laser Radial fleet was Alec Coleman of West Vancouver, whose top finish in the large fleet earned him first overall for the regatta. second place also went to a West Vancouver sailor, Alex Cherniavskii, with Bryana van Leeuwen of COSA in third. Other top finishes in the Radial fleet included COSA sailors Zane Halperin in fourth, Cole Appleton in seventh, Katherine Littleton in eighth, Mackenzie Littleton in tenth, and Sam Bekkering in 13th. Gabriella Littleton of COSA finished first in the Laser 4.7 fleet.
At the front of the Hobie 18 fleet was COSA sailors Gillian Thomson and Brishen Holmes-Slattery, who edged out Paul Evenden and Tawnya-Dhaun Fox of Cultus Lake; while in the X-Class fleet, Fireball sailors Greg Desilets and Evelyn Chisholm of Summerland cruised to a first place win on their Fireball. Murray and Fiona Shirley of COSA finished 4th in the X-Class fleet.
The COSA Regatta was also hosted to the BC Laser Masters Championships, which sees sailors between the ages 35 and 80 compete in the Laser Full-Rig.
Points are awarded based on finishes with an adjustment for age.
Consequently, Great Grand Master sailor (65 years +), Peter Macdougal of Kimberly finished in first ahead of Grand Master (55-64 years) Baha Akin of West Vancouver in second, and Apprentice (35-44 years) Maciej Mamon of Rossland in third, despite Mamon’s faster finishes.
Regatta organizer and COSA coach, Devin Rubadeau, will be traveling to Lithuania in July with first place finishers Ryan Rubadeau and Gabriella Littleton, to compete at the 2017 World Children’s Game.
“Ryan and Gabriella are ready to compete, and are demonstrating the kind of confidence and skills necessary to sail safely and have fun against competitors from around the world,” said Rubadeau.
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