The 25th International Optimist Regatta event took place from June 16 to 18 in Saint Thomas, USVI.
The event was a very successful one with a record 119 sailors taking part in the three-day extravaganza. The sailors arrived at St. Thomas from all over the USA, the British Virgin Islands, Antigua, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Michael Callahan puts up a stupendous show during the racing event and top scored in three races out of the 10 races. This is a huge achievement for Callahan and this helped him take the honors and win the title. He won the event in the 89-boat Red/Blue/Green fleet. He enjoyed a comfortable 7 point win over the second placed brother Justin. The third position went to Stephen Baker.
The young sailors in the age group of 7 to 15 years were given the chance to race in the advanced fleet or the beginner fleet. They were split as ages 13 to 15, Red group, ages 10 and under in white group, ages 11 and 12 in the blue group, green group or beginner group.
Callahan said that he knew that he could have a pretty aggressive and impressive race on the final day because of the lead that he has mustered over the 2 days of racing. His goal was the start in the middle of the line during the last two races and somehow moves to the left so that he could enjoy the lift. This will give him the acceleration that he needs to steer the fleet and get clear air. He was happy that this could happen during the last two races and this is why he won both the races.
Callahan was the master of the Red fleet group. The 10-year-old Tanner Krygsveld from St. Thomas was the first in the white fleet group with a whopping 200 points.