The Central Okanagan Sailing Association (COSA) Race Team completed the sailing season by once again posting top finishes at the Lake Osoyoos Sailing Club’s annual regatta.
The Osoyoos event marks the end of dinghy sailing in the B.C. Interior, with competitors traveling from around the Pacific Northwest to compete.
Claire Ramsey completed an amazing summer by taking first place in the Optimist White fleet, which follows on her third place finish at the Whistler regatta in August. Claire barely beat-out COSA teammates Ian Wright and Olivier Parrott-Landry, who finished in second and third respectively.
Meanwhile, in the Laser 4.7 fleet, Cole Appleton won every race to easily earn gold in that fleet.
The Optimist Blue fleet was claimed by COSA Race Team duo, Ryan Rubadeau (1st) and Gabriella Littleton (2nd), who will also be representing Kelowna at the 2017 International Children’s Games in Lithuania next July.
The COSA Race Team also owned the podium in the large Radial fleet, with Zane Halperin beating out sisters Katherine, Alizon, and Mackenzie Littleton, who took second, third, and fifth positions.
Zane’s excellent performance in the Laser Radial fleet was enough to see him named the Overall Regatta Champion, an honour made more amazing as this was Zane’s first regatta having just transferred from the Optimist Red fleet to the Laser Radial.
COSA Head Coach, Devin Rubadeau, acknowledged that the teams’ performance at this regatta was particularly impressive.
“The COSA sailors have been training three days a week for the past four months, so it is nice to see results that echo the significant efforts contributed by each athlete. I’m particularly impressed by the sportsmanship displayed by the more experienced team-members who provided amazing mentorship to the younger sailors from all sailing clubs.”
Rubadeau expects that the 2017 season will be even better, with a majority of the race team able to compete in the same division for the second year in a row.