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2025 US Youth Championship Report & Results

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By Airwaves writer Heather Kerns
The 2025 edition of the U.S. Youth Championship once again brought together America’s top youth sailors across a spectrum of high-performance classes. Organized by US Sailing, the regatta featured elite entries in classes including the International 420, 29er, Nacra 15, ILCA 6, ILCA 7, and iQFOiL. After three days of racing hosted by the Lauderdale Yacht Club the champions were crowned.

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Sailors faced a full range of conditions over the weekend, requiring both skill and endurance to stay at the top of the fleet. The top eligible finishers in each Youth Worlds class earned the honor of representing the United States at the 2025 World Sailing Youth Championships in Portugal this December, while the top half of each fleet received automatic invitations to the U.S. Sailing Youth National Team Thanksgiving Camp this November. With more than just national titles at stake, every sailor was clearly leaving it all on the course.

Here’s the RESULTS breakdown by class:

29er Skiff

Nineteen boats competed in the 29er class, where consistency proved key. Kevin Cason and Holland Vierling (San Diego YC) led from start to finish with a steady scoreline and just 21 net points after nine races. Teammates Annie Sitzmann and Anton Schmid (SDYC / Sail1Design) followed close behind with 26 points, while Braden Ozarski and Bennett Simpson (SDYC / HPYS) rounded out an all-San Diego YC podium.

ILCA 6

A competitive fleet of 64 boats completed three races in the ILCA 6 division. Local sailors dominated the results, with David Coates (Lauderdale YC) taking the win and Jake Homberger (LYC) securing second after a tiebreaker with Nathan Pine (South Carolina YC). Arabella Duer was the top female finisher in the fleet.

ILCA 7

Four races were sailed in the ILCA 7s, where Will Rucker (CYC-SC) and Beck Brill (KBYC / CRYC) distanced themselves from the pack to finish with 8 and 10 points, respectively. Christopher Draper claimed third with 22 points. Notably, Zachary Brown (Barclay Sailing / Lakewood YC) posted an impressive series—finishing fifth despite carrying a UFD starting penalty.

International 420

The 28-boat I 420 fleet saw tight racing throughout the top group. Elizabeth Xydas and Alexandra (Coco) Kolaya (Maximus Sailing) claimed victory with 15 net points over five races. Close behind were Harrison Gandy and JP Panebianco (18 points) and Wills Gandy and Reid Smith (19 points), making for one of the most competitive podiums of the event.

Nacra 15

In the multihull fleet, 10 Nacra 15s took to the water. Dylan Tomko and Casey Small delivered a commanding performance—winning every race but two, with their drop being a third. Lauderdale YC teams Orlando Botha and Sara Shumanis and Isabel Veiga and Benjamin White completed the podium in second and third.

iQ Foil

Nine sailors competed in the iQ FOiL fleet, where Garrett January led with a consistent and dominant scoreline of 6 net points. Makani Andrews wasn’t far behind with 8 points, while Graceanna Dixon placed third overall and earned top female honors.

Congratulations to all of the podium finishers and every sailor who competed at this year’s event. Across three days of competitive racing and changing conditions, the fleets showed impressive skill and resilience. Anyone who’s been part of the youth one-design circuit knows how important this event is. It is truly a culmination of hard work from sailors, coaches, and parents alike. Special congratulations to the sailors who have earned their spot at Youth Worlds!

Photo credits to Lexi Pline at U.S. Sailing.

Devon Yacht Club is Hiring!

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Devon Yacht Club is dedicated to family, friendship and community and seeks to encourage and promote the sport of yachting, the science of seamanship and navigation as well as the sport of tennis. Established as the Gardiner’s Bay Boat Club in 1908, the Devon Yacht Club, Inc. was incorporated under the laws of New York on November 8, 1916, on land provided by the Gardiner’s Bay Company. Founding members who had been active in the original boat club included William S. Rowe, Colonel William Cooper Proctor, Joseph Rawson, and Richmond Levering. For more than a century our members have raced and sailed for pleasure in the southeast portion of Gardiner’s Bay, one of the finest sailing venues on the east coast. These protected waters with steady breezes are also ideal for youth instruction and since 1934 the Club has conducted its summer sailing program for children age 5-16. In addition to sailing, Devon offers outstanding tennis and bridge programs and a beautiful setting for dining overlooking Gardiner’s Bay.

HEAD SAILING INSTRUCTOR

Description: Devon Yacht Club in the Hamptons on eastern Long Island, New York is seeking a head sailing instructor for the 2026 summer season. The head sailing instructor must be eager and excited to assist the Junior yacht Sailing Director in the planning and implementation of our junior yacht sailing program. Duties includes, but are not limited to:

  • Work with sailing instructors to develop safe and engaging sailing lessons for children with a broad range of sailing abilities
  • Maintain club owned sail boats and coach powerboats
  • Maintain organization of sailing equipment stored at the Junior Yacht Club
  • Attend and coach Devon Yacht Club sailors participating in PGJSA Regattas

Dates: The 8-week long program runs during Summer 2026 (June 24th through August 23nd).

Pay: $25-28 per hour depending on experience. Opportunity to make extra earnings crewing on keel boats and through private lessons.

Housing, meals and utilities all provided by employer! Season end Bonus.

Contact: Please send resumes and cover letter to –>  [email protected]

 

EXPERIENCED SAILING INSTRUCTOR

Description: Multiple experienced sailing instructors are needed at Devon Yacht Club in the Hamptons on eastern Long Island, New York. Candidate must be eager and excited to help teach and lead junior yacht program sailors through all levels of sailing; including basics, safety, and racing.

Dates: The 8-week long program runs during Summer 2026 (June 24th through August 23nd).

Pay: $18-24 per hour depending on experience. Opportunity to make extra earnings crewing on keel boats and through private lessons.

Housing, meals and utilities all provided by employer! Season end Bonus.

Contact: Please send resumes and cover letter to –>  [email protected]

2025 Optimist Midwest Championship Report & Results

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By Airwaves Writer Heather Kerns
From October 11th to the 13th the 2025 Optimist Midwest Championship was hosted by Geneva Lake Sailing School. This event also served as a qualifier for the following: 2026 Optimist Team Trials, 2025 Optimist Panamerican Championship, 2025-2026 Mid Season USNT & USDT, as well as the always exciting Spring International Teams for 2026.

An impressive 207 sailors signed up for their chance at qualifying. Over the course of the three race days, 91 sailors advanced to the Gold Fleet, while the remaining 116 made up the Silver Fleet.

The overall winner, Walton Macpherson, of the Carolina Yacht Club, sailed an outstanding and consistent regatta—winning four races and dropping an 8th-place finish. The podium was rounded out by Briggs Kossmann (Coach Pulio Sailing) in second and Jaiden Strickon (Team Happy / Performance Sailing) in third.

Throughout the top 10, the drop race played an impactful role with several sailors dropping scores in the high double digits. Francisco Don (CRYC), who finished 6th overall, had a notable scoreline, dropping a black flag and holding onto a 20th, but other consistent races were able to keep him in the top group. This highlights how important resilience and consistency are in large, competitive fleets. The results also reflect the depth of talent across the country, as no single team or region dominated the leaderboard. You can check out the rest of the results HERE.

Congratulations to all of the sailors who competed and best of luck through the international and USNT/DT team selection process.

We’ll see the Opti sailors back in action soon at more regional championships: the Chesapeake Bay Champs October 25–26, 2025 and the Southeast Champs November 1–2, 2025.

2025 Lightning North Americans Report

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Wrightsville Beach, NC –

By Airwaves Writer Heather Kerns

Racing for the 2025 Lightning North Americans took place over three days, September 25-27, 2025. The Carolina Yacht Club organized a fantastic regatta, and Wrightsville Beach delivered a wide range of conditions.

Four races were completed over the course of the event. Three races were completed on Day 1 after the sea breeze filled. A light and unstable breeze met the fleet out on the water for the morning of Day 2, but PRO Todd Fedyszyn was able to get a race off when the velocity settled. During what would have been race 5, a storm cell formed to the south and led to some sporty conditions and race abandonment. Due to weather cells and light winds, no races were completed on Day 3.

Team Cut the Breaks (John Newell, Owen MacD

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onald, and Sarah Costich) sailed the most consistent event, coming away with 21 points total. Second place finisher, Jody Starck, and her team of Kevin Robinson and Jonathan Lutz accumulated 33 points. Rounding out the podium was Team El Doctorado from Chile, sailed by Felipe Robles, Carmina Malsch, and Paula Herman. Congratulations to these teams.

Looking at the finishes of the top 10 boats, it’s clear that nearly every team encountered a challenging race in their scoreline. While the regatta leaders managed to stay ahead, they didn’t fully run away with the event, keeping the competition wide open. Across the rest of the fleet, the racing remained exceptionally tight, a testament to the Lightning Class’s reputation for deeply competitive one-design sailing. You can check out the results HERE.

For this event, Lightning Class rules were amended to require all boats to use the Vakaros RaceSense system with an Atlas 2 unit. RaceSense is a high-precision, real-time GPS system for sailing races that automates start line calls, live tracking, scoring, and race management. Though there were some technical difficulties during the practice race, it seems that the technology held up through the racing. It will be interesting to see if the Lightning Class will continue this partnership.

The event showcased both strong competition and evolving race technology, setting the stage for future innovation in the class.

Photos by Barbara Howard.

Welcome S1D New Team Member: LENAM VELA, i420 builder!

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Lenam i420 USASail1Design is thrilled to partner with Lenam, a Spanish builder of the International 420, and to help offer these boats to sailors in the USA.  We have 3 boats on order, scheduled to be here in early December! Lenam has a long history of boatbuilding and a great deal of experience in the i420 class, and recently the company has made a firm commitment to build very fast, no-compromise, highest-quality, most durable International 420’s on the market. These boats have competed at top i420 events in Europe and performed extremely well. More good news; the boats are priced very competitively, which is GREAT news for this class and our sailors in the USA.

To learn more about a Lenam i420, please contact Sail1Design and we will be more than happy to chat!

A Lenam i420 won the World Championship in 2022: these boats are fast and extremely well made!

LENAM i420
The 420 is the most popular double-dinghy in the world. Designed in 1961, about 60,000 boats have been built in all these years. Lenam i420 USA

In Spain, the class is at a great moment. The Cup and Championship of Spain hover around 100 participants each year, there are regattas with lots of participation in all the communities and titles and international recognition is constant.

Lenam Vela Ligera, licensed for manufacture since 1998 has contributed with more than 1300 boats to the 420 class.
At Lenam we make a 420 without haste, with passion. The whole process is studied in detail.

The 420 has a strict regulation regarding the materials to be used in its manufacture. Only polyester resin is allowed, while Sandwich-type construction, which is allowed on Optimist, Europa, Snipe…, is forbidden. From these premises, the quality of the raw materials used in the construction of the 420 Lenam is maximum. The NPG isophthalic gelcoat and the isophthalic polyester resin, both with the highest H.D.T (temperature at which the gelcoat and resin can degrade), allow an elongation and elasticity of the laminated materials unequalled, enduring the harshest sailing conditions and suffering less with collisions than other boats.

Lenam i420 USAThe glass fibre used is the mat with powder binder, which avoids osmosis problems and offers better chemical resistance properties than other fibres of lower cost.

These materials are much more expensive than other permitted materials, but they ensure an unsurpassed quality of finish and a longer life and competitiveness of the boat over time.

It has already been mentioned mentioned that solutions to give rigidity to the hull or sandwich-type deck with P.V.C. foam are not allowed in 420. What is allowed to give consistency to the hull and deck are omega-type reinforcements to be placed according to the criteria of the shipyard. And it is at this point where the 420 Lenam has an important number of original reinforcements, which perfectly combine its minimum weight and maximum rigidity. In addition, the 420 in general for its special shape with a bulky bow, must take special care to make it light in that area, which Lenam achieves with a particular design of omegas in bow, very light and consistent, which at the same time allow it to provide the hull with a center of gravity more backward than its competitors, a fundamental aspect in short wave conditions or with weighty crews.

Lenam i420 USAOnce the hull and deck have been laminated, they remain in the mould for a minimum of one week, in a post-curing process at a constant temperature, in order to achieve the necessary degree of rigidity and curing that will provide the definitive dinghy with a long life at full performance.

And if the materials to be used are very limited, as we have commented in the 420 rules, on the other hand the water lines of the class allow tolerances that give a lot of game. Lenam gives a very versatile response to all wind and wave conditions. The wave conditions can be very different depending on where you are sailing. For instance, the typicall Mediterranean wave, characterized for being short, is different than the waves you can find in the Atlantic. Because of the knowledge provided by sailors and monitors, the water lines of the Lenam give a very easy navigation and maximum speed in these so diverse conditions.

The position and draft of the centreboard and rudder have also been studied to optimise navigation.

The design of the deck, the only one of all the shipyards manufacturing the 420 that is in one piece, contributes to the perfect alignment of the key elements in this section, such as stay chain, bonfire, cockpit, centreboard box and rudder hardware.Lenam i420 USA

The boat is presented with the best hardware and accessories, with the cockpit as “clean” and tidy as possible. Details such as the padded belts with no water absorption, the neoprene anti-slip system for the crew, the spi bags made of water- and sun-repellent fabric… everything to give the sailor the peace of mind of knowing that he is sailing in a boat in which everything is designed to give maximum speed and comfort to the 420!

Lenam i420 USA

VX One Class Joins the S1D Marketplace Team!

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Sail1Design has been providing the one-design community an online space dedicated to sailboat/gear classifieds for almost 20 years. Yes, that’s right… we were born the same year as the iPhone! In that time, we have helped countless sailors sell, and find, the boat of their dreams. We have also become the official classified site of some great one-design sailboat classes, including the Club 420 Class, the i420 Class, the US Optimist Class, Snipe Class, and now we are happy to report that the VX One Class has joined the team, and we are now the official classified site for this great boat too. There are already 3 active listings, check them out!

We provide this service to one-design classes free of charge, and ads are always free as well. Interested in having your class join the team? Get in touch!  [email protected]

2025 Maine State c420 Regatta Results & Report

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The 2025 Maine State C420 Championship brought together a strong fleet of 45 boats representing yacht clubs across Maine, New England, and beyond. Over the course of seven races, sailors experienced a mix of conditions on Casco Bay. With consistency the deciding factor, Melbourne Yacht Club teams dominated the podium, edging out strong performances from Portland YC, Southport YC, and others.   Reid Garofoli/Bowman Hyland, defended the Portland Yacht Club’s title of top Maine team for 2025. You can find full results HERE.

 Top 5 Overall

  1. Kaemen Floyd & Hans Csaszar (USA 9047 – Melbourne YC)

    • Net: 15 (Total: 29)

    • Race wins: R1, R4, R6

    • Outstanding consistency, never finishing worse than 6th aside from one drop.

  2. Alexander Delamarter & Eli Simpson (USA 6897 – Melbourne YC)

    • Net: 23

    • Strong finishes with a race win in R3 and multiple top-3s.

  3. Harmon Csaszar & Phinley Boyd (USA 8105 – Melbourne YC)

    • Net: 25

    • Posted a bullet in R5 and multiple top-5 finishes.

  4. Reid Garofoli & Bowman Hyland (USA 9592 – Portland YC)

    • Net: 31

    • Local sailors who sailed a consistent series with podium finishes in R4 and R7.

  5. Noelle Caola & Caroline Heersink (USA 9548 – Portland YC)

    • Net: 37

    • Posted a 1st and 2nd in later races, showing strong late regatta form.

Notable Performances

  • Otto Smith & Adrian Jenkins (Northeast Harbor, USA 9568) – Finished 6th overall, despite a DSQ in Race 2, demonstrating resilience and speed.

  • Rachel Phippen & Logan Snyder (Southport YC, USA 2301) – 7th overall, highlighted by a 2nd in Race 5.

  • Wyatt & Finn Wilkinson (Sandy Bay YC, USA 7273) – 8th overall, showing steady middle-fleet strength.

  • Henry Armstrong & Zoe Pulitzer (KSEA, USA 6805) – 12th overall, with top-10 finishes but weighed down by one tough race.

  • Campbell Ardrey & Annika Marshall (KSEA, USA 6809) – 16th overall, including a top-5 in Race 3.

Fleet Size & Diversity

45 boats competed

  • Clubs represented included:

    • Melbourne YC (FL)

    • Portland YC (ME)

    • Northeast Harbor Fleet

    • Southport YC

    • Sandy Bay YC

    • Boothbay Harbor YC

    • SailMaine

    • KSEA (Kollege of the Sea Academy)

    • Agamenticus YC

    • Manchester Sailing Association

    • Harraseeket YC

    • And others

This highlights the regional strength of youth sailing in Maine while attracting talent from outside the state.

Key Takeaways

  • Melbourne Yacht Club’s sweep of the top 3 showcased their depth and training strength.

  • Portland YC sailors held their own on home waters, with Garofoli/Hyland and Caola/Heersink both in the top 5.

  • The regatta balanced local Maine sailors with strong visiting programs, creating a highly competitive fleet.

  • Casco Bay again proved an excellent venue, with challenging conditions across multiple races testing tactical skill and boat handling.

West Coast Sailing: Celebrating 20 Years

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On June 13, 2025, West Coast Sailing marks its 20th anniversary. Two solid decades of fun. It’s been a wild ride since we started in ‘05. To summarize it all would be impossible. There have been so many memories, regattas, events, and emotions of all kinds!

For our 20th year, I want to attempt to convey what has kept us going all these years. From boom times to recessions, through manufacturers being bought and sold, to changes in leadership at our sport and more, West Coast Sailing has always been there. The same ownership. The same leadership. The same mission. So, what has been our secret sauce? Our recipe for success after all these years?

It’s actually really easy. It’s YOU.

Without you, our customer, our racer, our weekend warrior, our regular, our occasional, our known and unknown… Without each of you SAILORS — we would not still be here.

To the customers who value their quiet time on the water.

To those racing near and far.

To the weekend warriors passing on the passion to friends and family alike.

To the volunteers at the sailing clubs, community programs and regattas. To those that know the beauty of being on the water in a sailboat.

You are why West Coast Sailing is here and thriving, two decades on.

Timeline

We started on June 13th, 2025. It was the day after I graduated from the University of Oregon. My friend Tyler worked that summer, but, for that first year, it was just me. I had to ask customers to help me move boats and lift stuff when they came in. We rented out the space to all sorts of tenants. It was a crazy time.

Kyle joined in 2007, Chris in 2010, Phil in 2011, then came Gavin and a lot of the crew we have today including Jeanette, Liz, Ali, Chris W, Langdon, Matt, Lena, Angie, and Abby. In 2021, West Coast Sailing merged with Zim Sailing and became part of this larger family of sailing businesses. Still, we remain sailors serving sailors. The scale is just a little bit bigger now.

Memories and Lessons

There are too many to mention, but a lot of firsts. The first truck delivery of boats — I had no idea boats came from Rhode Island to Portland in a semi truck trailer! Same for our RS containers. I had no idea boats travelled all the way from England on a cargo ship!

And then both our first web order (2005 — an Aquata ILCA Blade Bag), and our first international web order (2007 — I still remember the customer’s name). Wild. Both would kick off the main thrust of our business, so many years ago now.

Aside from business milestones, there are countless memories of events we’ve raced in, supported, chartered at, and cheered for. From Laser Radial Worlds in 2006, all the seasons of CGRA racing in the Gorge. Weeknight racing, plus coaching High School Sailing at our home club of Willamette Sailing Club. Traveling to California, Seattle, and all over the West Coast.

I also remember the kindness of sailors. All the people we’ve met in every corner of the World. All the volunteers and local sailors who came to the shop — thank you. All the floors we have slept on over long weekends at regattas. The hospitality and kindness of sailors has always impressed me.

Our team. I work with friends. It’s one of the joys of this business. I work with people I know, I like and I respect. Even the parts of our team that are not still here, all played a part in who we are as a company today. Also, Stephanie… we still miss you.

What Really Matters: Passion, Team, and Customers

We always said, if we take care of our team, our team will take care of our customers, and our customers will take care of the business. And that has been absolutely the case.

But it starts with passion. Being fully committed — passionate about the business and dedicated to serving sailors. That passion for the sport and the people in it, and serving them better than anyone else. With that and a great team — you can have a real impact.

Finally….

I told myself two things when I started West Coast Sailing in 2005:

  • The worst that will happen is I will go broke and learn a lot.
  • I will do this for 3 years.

20 years on, here we are. I’m still doing the same thing, with a lot of the same people.

And each of YOU are as much a part of this as we are. We never expect your business, even from our best customers. We only expect to have to put in the work to earn our customers, day in and day out.

Thank you all, endlessly.

And here we are. Twenty years later, with the same mission — helping you Own The Water.

Thank you for your trust, patience, service, and grace throughout our two decades together.

 

George Yioulos

West Coast Sailing

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