Draycote Water Sailing Club will host up to 280 young optimist sailors for the Volvo Musto Optimist End of Season Championship, on 12-13 October.

The Optimist class is the largest junior dinghy class in the world, and has been the launch pad for many famous sailors’ careers, including Volvo Youth Sailing Ambassadors and Sydney gold medallists Iain Percy and Ben Ainslie.

“The Optimist is a fantastic boat for any young person who wants to learn to sail or develop keen racing skills,” said Iain Percy, who will be attending the event this weekend. “Its great as it is a big class so there are a large number of really good sailors for you to compete against and hone your racing skills.”

Devoti Sailing, have also been supporting the Optimist class this year, by giving the young Optimist competitors the chance to win a brand-new fully rigged racing Devoti Optimist signed by Iain Percy. The lucky winner will also win a day’s personal coaching from Iain. The prize draw will take place during prizegiving, after racing on Sunday.

To qualify to win the Devoti Optimist you must have competed at all three Volvo/Musto-sponsored events this year; the inlands, nationals and end of seasons.

The top sailors will be battling it out at the front of the fleet, where the competition will be tough. In the senior fleet, national champion and world number two Hannah Mills from Dinas Powys will want to finish the season in pole position. But her closest rival, Richard Mason from Lymington, who will be competing after recently returning from New Zealand where his father is a member of the America’s Cup GBR Challenge team.

In the Junior fleet, another young female sailor Claire Lasko from Oxford, who won the national championship in August will be hoping to continue her consistent winning streak. However, the Junior fleet is very competitive and in her wake will be the talented Saxton twins, David de Boltz and Patrick Metcalfe.

The Volvo Musto Optimist End of Season Championship completes a series of three national events including the Volvo Musto inlands and the Volvo Musto national championship. The 2003 national Optimist training squad will be selected on the basis of the results of all three regattas. To gain selection to this strong and prestigious squad is the aim of the top young sailors. Once in the squad they will receive a high level of coaching and support to boast their sailing careers.