Yesterday we brought you the Bermuda Optimist Dinghy Association (BODA) sailors selected to fly the Bermuda flag during the 2024 Optimist World Championship in Argentina.
Today we bring you quotes from the sailors selected, Noah Amaradasa, Evan Davis, Nina Gotfredsen, Rory Savage, Miguel Powers.
What's been your biggest learning moment in your Opti career?
• Miguel Power, “My biggest learning moment was when I was sailing in the 2021 trials for the World Championships and it was a day with around 20 knots and I wasn’t fit enough. On the last race of the day, I had major pain in my stomach area. It turns out that it was actually my abs not being fit enough. To this day, I remember this moment and make sure I am as fit as possible for all my competitions.”
How has Optimist sailing shaped you as a person?
• Miguel Power, “The optimist has made me a resilient person and has given me a better mentality to work for things, such as doing well in sailing itself and also my exams at school.”
• Evan Davis, “Optimist sailing has really shaped who I am by teaching me to stay calm under pressure and focus on what I can control. It’s helped me learn that even when things don’t go as planned, staying composed and adapting is what makes the difference.”
What are you looking forward to most at Worlds?
• Miguel Power, “At the worlds I am looking forward to the sailing of course but I am also looking forward to seeing all the people I have met in previous competitions.”
• Rory Savage, “It is really nice that is the last regatta to end my “career” on because I age out on December 31, 2024.”
What was the most challenging thing about preparing for Argentina?
• Nina Godfredson, “Preparing for the massive swells that I have only seen in photos.”
• Noah Amaradasa, “Preparing for Argentina has been really challenging, but also rewarding. It’s taken countless hours of sailing, intense fitness training, and staying focused on improving every day. Balancing training with school has been tough, but I know it’s all worth it to compete at this level.”
• Evan Davis, “The most challenging part about preparing for Argentina has been learning how to adapt to new challenges. Every day brings something different, whether it’s mastering new techniques, improving my mental focus, or adjusting to the conditions I’ll face. It’s all about staying flexible and pushing myself to grow as a sailor.”
What would a 10-year-old think about you going to Worlds?
• Nina Godfredson, “My 10 year old self would never have believed she would go to Worlds, but she would be really proud of herself knowing she made it.”
• Noah Amaradasa, “We did it - Worlds!”
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