It is with regret that the NZIODA committee has made the difficult decision NOT to send New Zealand teams to both the Optimist European Championship to be held in Cadiz, Spain from June 20-27, 2021, and the Optimist World Championship, to be held in Riva del Garda, Italy, from the 30 June to 11 July, 2021.
This is due to the on-going situation that the world faces with the Covid 19 Pandemic. New Zealanders are currently being told not to travel overseas at this time. This advice from the government, as well as not being able to re-enter our country easily, an inability to get insurance for travel, and not being able to employ coaches to travel with teams, has made this decision necessary.
We are aware that this will be very disappointing news for many of our young sailors and we are working behind the scenes to create other exciting opportunities such as development training clinics and the potential for Trans-Tasman sailing opportunities if this becomes possible in the future.
As the Asian/Oceanic and Noumea Regattas happen later this year in October, we are deferring the decision on whether it will be possible to send teams to these events until closer to the time.
NZIODA Committee