Young Wrightsville Beach sailors will test themselves against the best in the world during the Sunfish Youth World Championships in Arapahoe, N.C., Oct. 7-10.
Sunfish Southeast Region representative Larry Mass said the championships are held all over the world, so this year’s races in North Carolina present an incredible opportunity for local sailors.
A contingent of seven young sailors representing Wrightsville Beach will race in the championships.
Wrightsville Beach standouts Trey and Chase Carraway will be among the competitors. Chase Carraway has already proven himself on the international stage, representing the United States earlier this year at the 2014 XXV Optimist Trophy Nations Cup in Palamos, Spain.
The boys’ mother, Boo Carraway, said she supports her sons’ choice to pursue sailing over more mainstream sports. Sailing teaches resilience, she said, because sailors stay out on the water for seven or eight hours at a time, by themselves, in a constantly changing environment.
“They have to do everything in that boat for themselves,” Carraway said during a Sept. 26 phone interview. “People don’t realize how hard it is to control a boat and how long the days are. I think a lot of people have a misconception that it’s a prima donna kind of sport that involves champagne glasses and white tablecloths, but really it involves mud and stinky sailing boots.”
The sprint-distance races during the youth world championships won’t be quite as grueling. Carolina Yacht Club member Nick Omirly, whose sons Dean and Henry are competing, said each race will last around 30 minutes.
Participants will line their boats up, side by side, in the Neuse River. A committee boat raises a flag to give sailors a five-minute warning and then a series of whistles counts down to the start. Dean Omirly said tempers run high during this critical time in the race.
“People get really mad,” he said. “There’s different tactics about what you can do at the start, but basically you just point into the wind so your boat doesn’t move. If you have a really good start, you’re going to do good in the race unless you’re horrible at everything else.”
Nick Omirly said depending on conditions, multiple races will be run throughout the day, so sailors are required to pack a lunch and eat out on the water. Sunfish boats will be provided to sailors upon arrival, he added, to eliminate any competitive advantage gained by superior equipment.
The Carolina Yacht Club sailors might not win any trophies, Omirly added, but racing in the Sunfish class will help the younger kids learn and grow as sailors.
“It’s a class that’s fun and simple,” he said. “Older sailors help younger sailors, there’s a lot more camaraderie, they share ideas, techniques.”
Dean Omirly has experienced that camaraderie within his own family. He recently took up sailing and joined a race team with his 16-year-old brother over the summer. At 12 years old, he will be one of the youngest competitors in the world championships, so it will be beneficial to have his more experienced brother close by.
“He helps me a lot,” Omirly said.
Omirly remains realistic about his chances in the race, acknowledging that it will be more of a learning experience, as well as a fun trip with his brother and father.
“I don’t think I’m going to do amazing,” he said. “If I get mid-fleet out of everybody, I’d be really happy with that.”
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