22/01/2022
This week saw the announcement that this year’s Optimist Asian and Oceanian Championship is postponed due to the difficulty of travel and local restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand.
As we mentioned in our last big story, for a few of the teams that attended our event, the rules were frustrating. For most, however, the rules were a relief, helpful in getting their sailing federations to allow sailors to participate. And, not to be forgotten, for the vast majority of Asian and Oceanian member nations, it didn’t matter how strict the rules were. They were not allowed to leave their countries.
Interviewed at the start of our championship, team leaders and other country representatives shared their views as below.
“We were watching the news very closely, hoping that some of the conditions would be loosened,” said USA country representative Kevin Grainger, who noted that it took two days to travel to Thailand. “In the USA, some places are more open than others, but none are like this. We would love to see anything [outside the bubble]. But, at the end of the day, we come for the sailing - the Asians are seen as a prestigious event - but travel is also an opportunity to get to know a different country, a different culture.”
Sweden’s Robin Ericsson, who once worked in southern Thailand as a dive instructor, had a different take on the situation. “We would have loved to experience more of Thailand. I know there’s so much else to see around the corner. But we are here because we want to give the team the opportunity to grow as sailors. In Sweden, we’ve been extremely liberal. We never wear face masks even on public transport. But this (the masking and other rules) makes coming here, ‘exotic’ (in a good way)!”
For the Turkish team, rules calmed those who really make the decisions. “Parents were happy for their children to come because they trusted the Thai government’s policy regarding COVID. Having to follow restrictions made us feel safe in deciding to come here,” said Team Leader Tayfun Erey.
“We also heard from coaches who came in 2017 [for the Optimist World Championship] and they said the RVYC hosted a really good event and the people were very friendly. Our goals are firstly for our sailors to gain more experience but also to have a good time, meet sailors from other countries, make friends, win medals, and win the championship.”
Japanese team leader Yoko Fujita said, “We want to see more things and buy souvenirs. We would love to use the hotel pool during our free time but we have to stay in the room. We cannot see anything except the sailing club. But we appreciate the public health measures and we were really looking forward to sailing here after hearing about the good conditions from someone who came here for the World Championship.”
“It’s a shame we cannot walk to other areas,” said India’s Team Leader Aishwarya Nedunchezhiyan, who first came to the RVYC for the 2010 Laser 4.7 World Championships. But for her team, the biggest issue was just getting to Thailand. The normal 4.5 hour flight was not an option due to international air travel restrictions on Indian flights, forcing them to fly 24 hours to get to Thailand.
Last minute visa applications also caused some stress but Aishwarya credited event organizer Koravic Bhanubandh with being extremely responsive in assisting with last minute documents.
“Everyone has been waiting to start international competition again,” she said. “We started having national championships one year ago. This event was something we didn’t want to miss and it is a tradition for the Indian team to go to the Asians.”
UAE country representative Alan Ruigrok admitted “Initially, I thought [being in the bubble] was going to be tough, but when we got here, we found the club is really nice. We are lucky with a venue like this. It’s beautiful.”
In the UAE, each emirate has different COVID risk mitigation protocols but masking and using tracking apps were not new concepts.
In Abu Dhabi, all had to test every two weeks initially, then once a month, each test recorded to an app.
No sailing was allowed for the past year and a half, only workout sessions by Zoom, and the country had not participated in international competition in two years.
“For this event, we were only allowed to travel with vaccinated children according to the General Authority for Sports in the UAE. Anyone less than 12 cannot compete,” said Alan, who was so glad that three sailors were able to join along with coach Bacha Saad Saoud Kamar.
For the Singaporeans, the strict health measures made participation possible, the city-state itself a strong proponent of COVID-19 risk mitigation measures.
“We appreciate the rules and we have no problem with the sports bubble, being limited to the hotel and the sailing club. The federation knows that and therefore allowed us to come,” said coach Somkiat Poonpat.
Half of the ten Singaporean team members were over 12 and vaccinated, receiving financial support to travelling to the event. Athletes who are waiting to be old enough to be vaccinated had to self-finance the trip, as they all did for the 2021 Optimist World Championship, when Singapore was battling the Delta variant. For that event, their coach, who is a Thai national, was unable to join them as re-entry to Singapore was limited to Singaporeans only at the time, but he found them a most suitable replacement (one-time Optimist world champion Noppakao Poonpat).
For Asian teams, mask-wearing was not an issue, common throughout the region, but many had to sacrifice more than just a week or two of school to come due to strict quarantine rules in their home countries.
While most sailors had no restrictions on return or just had to pass a PCR test, both the Japanese and Singaporean teams were facing 10-14 day hotel quarantines on return to their home countries.
For both teams, however, relief came near the end of the regatta when their countries recognized lower COVID case numbers in Thailand, moving it into a lower risk category. This meant the teams only had to quarantine at home on return after their much enjoyed participation in the 2021 Optimist Asian and Oceanian Championship.
We thank all for making the effort and understanding our predicament. It is heartening to know sailors learned, among other things, that where there is a will, there is a way, even if one must wait a little longer for the next opportunity to meet abroad as a community. See you soon, Yeosu, Korea!
