Blythe Walker claimed the first title up for grabs during the 2013 Bermuda Sailing Association (BSA) Keelboat Championships in the Great Sound yesterday.

Walker and crew Joshua Greenslade, Michal Nosek and Michael Brace won the national title in the International One Design (IOD) sloop in emphatic fashion.

The team won three of the four races contested for in 18-22 knot northerly breezes and finished no lower than third to win the regatta by a five-point margin over nearest rivals Penny Simmons and Patrick Cooper.

Defending champion Simmons pipped Cooper for second place on a tiebreaker after both skippers finished tied with 11 points.

Walker attributed clean starts, sound tactical judgement and team chemistry to the team’s success.

“It was good team work and the races that we won we ended up leading all the way around,” he told The Royal Gazette. “We got the lead on the first beat and rounded the top mark first usually with guys close on our heels but managed to keep the lead and extend.

“We had good starts and no issues which also helped out a lot. It was nice to be out racing again and we had a good day.”

Yesterday’s four-races in the IOD fleet also served as the final qualifier for next year’s IOD World Championships.

Simmons, who is Walker’s uncle-in-law, secured the only spot up for grabs and will now represent Bermuda next year in Norway which is where the sloop originated.

Simmons is a seven-time IOD World Champion and local Sports Hall of Fame athlete.

The BSA Keelboat Championships continue today with racing in the Etchells, J-105 and Optimist classes.