O’pen BIC championships to be contested

The inaugural O’pen BIC National Championship will be held on Saturday May 4 and Saturday June 1.  

Nico Stefani, RHADC sailing director, said in a press release:  “Our O’pen BIC sailing classes have become our most popular; sailors interested in sailing in the summer should contact us as places are filling quickly and we are the only sailing programme in Bermuda with an O’pen BIC fleet.”  

Rear Commodore Neil Redburn added: “The O’pen BIC is a new class at RHADC and we are very pleased how the O’pen BIC has energized our junior sailors.  

“Based on strong junior sailor demand the club anticipates increasing our fleet in 2014 and potentially hosting an international event”

The RHADC said what makes the O’pen BIC so popular is its modern and powerful rig, it is a fast boat, quick to respond and self-bailing.  It called The O’pen BIC the link between the optimist generation and the new generation of sailing dinghies and said it is the perfect boat to progress into the Byte, 29er and Olympic boats the 49er and FX.    

The O’pen BIC World Championship will be held on Lake Garda following the Optimist World Championship.  

The 2013 World Championship expects a 240-boat strong fleet.  

Dominated

In 2012 the Bermuda O’pen BIC Sailing team dominated at the World Championships hosted by the Miami Yacht Club.   

Ceci Wollmann was crowned female World Champion. 

Peter Dill was the overall runner-up and Mikey Wollmann was runner up in the Under 13 category.  

Arch Reinsurance Ltd will again sponsor the 2013 team.