COLSS Race Teams
For years, Columbia Sailing School has provided opportunities to get involved with racing. We offer Optimist and High School Programs during the spring and fall seasons. We offer the Optimist Race Team and C420 Race Team during the summer, competing in local, regional, and national events.
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Acceptance into COLSS Race Teams is based on previous sailing experience and head coach evaluation. All members of the COLSS are expected to participate throughout the entire summer.
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Sailors will work with experienced US Sailing Level 2 and 3 Coaches expanding their skill sets beyond what is offered in our Advanced C420 Class. The small student-to-coach ratio gives our racers individualized attention so that improvements are made on a measurable scale.
Opti Race Team
Our Opti Race Team is designed for those competitive sailors who show dedication and passion for the sport and are under 15 years old. Split into different levels, dependent on skill and age; sailors will be placed on the Green Team or the Red, White, and Blue Team. Many of our students who join the Race Team have sailed in one or more of our other programs, including Prams. Students will spend time on land and the water, learning about all aspects of racing, including boat handling and tactics. Our Race Team competes at both local and national regattas throughout the season. In previous years, our sailors have traveled all around the country to compete in USODA events and at the Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta in Miami, FL!
C420 Race Team
Our C420 Race Team is designed for those competitive sailors who show dedication and eagerness to improve in the sport of sailing. They are the most experienced youth sailors and have progressed through the Columbia Sailing School Racing Track. Race Team members have extensive knowledge of tactics and boat handling skills and are passionate about their continual improvement. These sailors spend dedicated time on land learning about boat tuning, watching boat handling videos, and learning about racing tactics and the Racing Rules of Sailing. On the water, sailors train with racing drills encompassing all aspects of the race course and continue refining their advanced boat handling skills to prepare for competition. Our Race Team competes in local and national events. The team has previously traveled to C420 Nationals, C420 North Americans, Buzzards Bay Regatta, and US Sailing National Events. The Race Team travels to Florida in the winter to participate in the Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta in Miami and the C420 Midwinters Championship in Jensen Beach.
