Despite the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Subway SailFest South Regatta will continue as scheduled on July 2-4 at Pensacola Yacht Club in Pensacola, Florida.

The three-day event for young sailors 8 to 21 years old will include the US Sailing Junior Olympic Sailing Festival and the US Optimist Dinghy Association (USODA) Gulf Coast Championship.

Earlier this month, the Southern Yacht Club was forced to cancel its 2010 Gulfport to Pensacola Race because of the threat of surface oil. The Pensacola Yacht Club, which hosted this year’s Gulf Yachting Association Challenge Cup was also reportedly forced to postpone a race because of oil, although the regatta was still successfully completed.

“We have been carefully watching the oil problem,” said SailFest chairman Bruce Partington. “Looking at possible conditions through the weekend, we think it will be safe to run our Gulf Coast Opti Championship and The US Sailing Junior Olympic Sailing Festival on Pensacola Bay.”

Racers will compete in one-design sailboats, including Optimists, Lasers, Bites, 420s and Flying Scots.

The Opti USODA Gulf Coast Championship is the second USODA team qualifier event. The top 25 percent of the sailors will qualify for other events for a chance to be on the US International Team for the USODA.

“Our decision to hold the event,” Partington added, “even with reduced entry numbers, demonstrates the resiliency and fortitude of the Pensacola community. We want to thank the local Subway restaurants for their sponsorship and support of our decision to sail as planned.”

The final registration for Subway’s SailFest South will be July 2, with a waived late entry fee.

Racing on Pensacola Bay will commence July 3 at 1200 and continue through the afternoon. July 4 racing is schedules to begin at 1000. There will be separate racing areas for the various classes.

“We know that we will not cancel this event until the very last minute and that decision is going to be made based on the safety of the sailors and the race committee.” said Sam Foreman, Pensacola’s Yacht Club Commodore. “Unfortunately, this decision process will have to occur for every race on our bay for the rest of this year and beyond.”

For more information and event details, please click here.

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