Sailing Magazine
by Richard Crockett
Another big fleet of 95 Optimists competed at Boskop for the national title with N (Nico ?) Van Wieringen being the convincing winner with a score line of just 3 points to count. His closest rival, B James, had 18.7.
I found this report interesting for the simple reason that it raised the issue of “superstition” – and that the winner of the tune-up race does not win the event overall! Read this:
“The tune-up race finally destroyed a deeply entrenched superstition that the winner of this race will not win the nationals. Brian James came in for a convincing win but decided not to flaunt superstition and sailed past the finish line as did Stephen Loxton in second position. Nico van Wieringen had no time for superstition and took the gun although he must have doubted his decision after his tenth place in the first race which was convincingly won by Brian James who also won the second race but only by a few centimetres, causing Judge Paddy Peel-Pearce some anxious moments.
“After that the regatta belonged to Nico van Wieringen who increased his lead every race by pulling ahead into clear air and winning the last race by more than four minutes.”
So what’s all this “superstition all about? Maybe there are followers out there who can elaborate and share their own stories. Email editor@sailing.co.za or share in COMMENTS.
The Optimist Team to attend the World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was announced as follows:
Nico van Wieringen
Nicky Hooyberg
Stephen Loxton
Greg Hall
Graeme Bryant
READ THE SA YACHTING REPORT HERE: Pages from 1983 03 – SA Yachting – OCR
READ THE YACHTSMAN RSA REPORT HERE: Pages from 1983 03 – Yachtsman RSA – OCR
