Local sailors Sophia Dias and Sarah Davis earn medals at UK Youth Team Racing Championships
Sophia Dias and Sarah Davis put Bermuda sailing on the map after securing podium finishes for Royal Hospital School at the Youth & Junior Team Racing Championships in Oxford, England.
Dias was a member of the RHS Blue Team that went undefeated on the way to capturing the Under-19 title, while Davis and her fellow RHS Falcons team-mates captured the bronze medal at this month’s regatta, which was cut short due to lack of wind.
“To win the division without losing a race was truly an amazing achievement,” an elated Dias told The Royal Gazette. “I think the main success was how the team preformed together and focusing on one race at a time was our main strategy.
“The competition was tough and the weather was very shifty conditions, which made it that more challenging.”
Dias and her fellow team-mates posted a flawless 10-0 record on the way to the title.
“We knew we had the ability to win. However, winning was not anticipated until the end of the first day, and then we knew it was within our reach,” Dias added.
“We worked extremely well together and put in a lot of effort, which was seen on the score board.
“I feel blessed to get the opportunity of being able to compete and was even more proud of my team. I am very excited and proud of this accomplishment.”
Davis is equally as thrilled to have helped her team secure a top-three finish at the event.
“The event was lovely besides obviously not being able to finish with the semis and finals,” she said.
“We lost our first race [qualifying round] which led us to coming third. If we hadn’t lost it we would have had really good average points which would have allowed us to be in the top ranking for number one or two, which is really unfortunate.
“It was a well organised event and as a team we worked really well and we learnt from our mistakes in relation to that first race.”
Davis and her fellow RHS Falcons colleagues were among six teams that finished with an identical 10-9 record and were pipped by Rutland Raiders for the silver medal on a tie break.
Organised by the Royal Yachting Association and hosted by the Oxford Sailing Club October 12-13, the team racing championships featured 30 teams that competed in the double handed Firefly dinghy.