The 2025 Optimist European Championships were held in Çeşme, Turkey, at the Arkas Çeşme Sailing Club from May 28th to June 4th. There were 258 competitors from 43 countries, split into158 Boys and 120 girls, each in two fleets.
Representing New Zealand were: Micah Bollen (Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club), Lauchlan Wills (Howick Sailing Club), Philippa Wiltshire and Flora Stevens (both from Glendowie Boating Club). Andrew Wills was the team coach, and I had the pleasure of supporting the group as Team Leader.
With only a few weeks between the Optimist Nationals and our departure for Turkey, time flew by. We managed to squeeze in a few team trainings alongside everyone’s regular club sailing. But before we knew it, it was time to go.
We were one of the first teams to arrive at the boat park on May 21st, along with Hong Kong and Argentina, where the charter boats were ready and waiting. The team got to work rigging, tuning and getting them ready to sail. Once they were set up, it was straight into the bay for a test sail. That afternoon we checked into the Piril Hotel, the accommodation for all the teams participating in the event. It was a lovely local hotel on the edge of the beautiful historic fishing village of Çeşme. It was a fair distance from the accommodation to the sailing venue, but shuttle buses were plentiful and very well organised.
Our first four full days on the water were spent competing in The Arkas ICOW. This was the perfect way for the team to familiarise themselves with the local conditions and obtain regatta practice with a fleet of 150 sailors. Day 1: was an official practice day. It was sunny with 8-16 knots of wind. The kids all did well in the first race all coming in the top part of the fleet. In the official practice regatta with a start line of 150 sailors, Philippa topped the kiwi’s finishing 5th. Day 2: was another picture-perfect day with an average of 11 knots and 3 races. The kids all had some great moments. Flora (40, 21, 13). Lauchy (8, 44, 39), Philippa (60, 29, 10), Micah (59, 38, 45). Day 3: saw a delayed start as we waited for the breeze to build and stabilise. When it arrived it was strong, steady 20knots gusting much more. The team handled the challenging conditions well. Philippa (13, 7, 5), Flora (15, 16, DNF) Lauchy (24, 21, 14), Micah (28, 11, UFD). Day 4: the fleets were split into Gold and Silver for the last day of the practice regatta. There was a strong breeze forecast, and it didn’t disappoint, winds still from the south ranged from 18-32 knots and average 25 for the two races. Philippa (28, 58), Lauchy (21, 44), Flora (43, 26) Micah (4, 3). Overall ICOW results were: Philippa finished 29th, Lauchy 37th, Flora 41st in Gold fleet and Micah an impressive 2nd overall in Silver fleet.
On May 26th, we had a morning of measurement for the Euros, followed by a relaxed afternoon exploring the nearby town of Alaçatı. The cobbled streets, team lunch, and (of course) ice cream made for the perfect recharge day.
Three more days of training followed, with the breeze shifting back to its usual northerly direction. Each day was stunning—clear waters, consistent winds building to around 12 knots, and plenty of speed work followed by informal racing against about a third of the championship fleet. On the final day, we participated in the official practice race—a dry run more for the race committee than the sailors.
On the evening of the 29th of May, we dressed in our official uniform, gathered our flags, and joined the opening ceremony parade. Starting at the top of town, Çeşme’s bazaar, we paraded down the narrow cobbled main street to finish on the marina in front of the Old Castle. The Opening Ceremony was a fantastic welcome to all of the teams and a great way to start the event.
Racing scheduled was three days of qualifying races and two days of finals racing with a maximum of ten races.
Day 1: Brought ideal conditions, 12-16 knots with a steep chop. There were several general recalls, especially in the girl’s blue fleet. The team had a good start to the regatta for the most part with the girls leading our charge.
Flora (4, 15), Philippa (4, 17). Lauchy (16, 35), Micah (UFD, 62).
Day 2: There was a slight delay to the start of racing, as the committee reset the course for a more stable breeze. Once racing got away it was 9-17 knots of wind, still from the north with decent chop. The Team was all in good spirits, enjoying the competition, learning and improving every day.
Flora (9, 14), Philippa (17, 8), Lauchy (28, 28), Micah (58, 54)
Day 3: The final day of qualifying and Çeşme continued to provide perfect sailing conditions. It was even windier 11-20 knots with decent chop, from the North. The team did great with Flora, Philippa and Lauchy all qualifying for Gold Fleet.
Flora (18, 6), Philippa (31, 19) Lauchy (30,24), Micah (50, 51)
Day 4: Saw slightly lighter winds. A standout moment for the team came when Flora made New Zealand history, winning race 8 in the girls’ Gold Fleet.
Flora (21, 1), Philippa (43, 24), Lauchy (39, 62), Micah (51, 61)
Day 5: The final day of racing, brought the lightest conditions we saw while in Çeşme around 10 knots and some very tough racing.
Flora (54, 30), Philippa (55, 39), Lauchy (56, 41), Micah (37, 36)
Final Results
- Girls Fleet: Flora – 13th, Philippa – 32nd
- Boys Fleet: Lauchy – 54th, Micah – 128th
The event concluded with a lovely sunset prizegiving ceremony at the same location on the marina as the opening ceremony. The overall European Champion Boy was Cengiz Eren Güvenç from Turkey, and the overall European Champion Girl was Maria De Lluc Bestard from Spain. Celebrations and gear swaps continued long into the night back at the hotel!
This event was a fantastic experience for our team. Turkey exceeded all expectations, outstanding sailing conditions, warm and welcoming locals, excellent accommodation, and delicious food. It was an amazing opportunity for our sailors to compete against some of the world’s best, forge new friendships, and create lifelong memories.
It was a huge privilege to support this team, and I’m incredibly proud of how they conducted themselves and what they achieved. A big thank you to Willzy for being an awesome coach and parent, and to our team parents—your hard work, both in the lead-up and during the trip, made all the difference.
Margaret Goodfellow
Team Leader
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