Jordan and Mulcahy win a wild and windy 2018 Club 420 Association US National Championship
Long Beach Island,
NJ — The Club 420 Association 2018 US National Championships was held July 17-19 by The Brant Beach Sailing Foundation at Brant Beach Yacht Club in Brant Beach, NJ
Club 420 Nationals 2018 kicked off to a hammering start, delivering the long awaited wind regatta of the season. When we called for wind, Brant Beach Yacht Club delivered, and did it ever! 292 Club 420 sailors enjoyed a 15-24 knot first day out for the best heavy wind sailing of the season. With skill challenges and equipment challenges, the 146 boat fleet sailed in two fleets battling the ferocity of Barnegat Bay. After 3 race rotations with breeze building to upwards of 25 knots, sails saw the best and most exciting racing of the season.
Day 2 brought more typical local conditions and had something for everyone. Starting with a refreshing light wind start to Race 4, building to 10-14 knots in races 5 and 6, and after a shift to the Northeast, race 7 saw 8 knots with gusts to 10.
On the final day of racing, with championship Gold and Silver fleets, racers set off to a beautiful day of sunshine and 8-10 knots of breeze to start and increasing through the day. At the end of the day California’s Ansgar Jordan and Patrick Mulcahy took first in Gold with four bullets in the series, New Jersey’s Luke Arnone and crew Noble Reynoso placed second with 3 bullets and a 2 point differential. Third place went to the dynamic junior girls from Annapolis and Houston Yacht Clubs, Maddie Hawkins and Yumi Yoshiyasu. Local sailors Lachlain McGranahan and Ariel Cassaretto, claimed 4th, Sarah Burn and crew Trish Gerli 5th and Mikalea and Colleen O’Brien 9th. In Silver fleet Laura Ferraris and Lily Josephson took first followed by Connor and Christopher Macken with John Vail and Lucas Masiell taking third. Full results HERE
This epic event was loaded a large, competitive field, varied wind conditions and off water experiences, making this Brant Beach Nationals memorable. “This was the best venue to date! Not only was it great, it was the best run, with the very best professional race committee.” Full results are at www.club420.org
About the Club 420 Association – The Club 420 Association was established in 1980 to promote, foster, encourage and sponsor one-design sailing for youth sailors. The Association annually sponsors a North American Championship, US and Canadian National Championships as well as regional and team racing championships across North America while promoting the class to all ability and experience levels of youth sailing. For more information visit www.club420.org
2018 Optimist National Championship Results
(photos courtesy of Regatta Central)
This year the Pensacola Yacht Club hosted the Optimist National Championship, with nearly 260 sailors competing for the fleet racing championship, and 66 sailors competing for the girls championship (team racing is 7/20-7/22). The Nationals attracted sailors from several countries and territories, including Australia, Great Britain, Denmark, Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada, and the Virgin Islands, The weather was a little up and down this year, and 7 races were sailed for each division over the 4 day regatta for fleet championship, and 3 official races for the girls championship.
The staff at PYC and all organizing authorities worked very hard to make this a fun, friendly, and enjoyable event. An opening ceremony for all was held at the Saenger Theater where we all were treated to a presentation by American Magic, the NYYC America’s Cup Syndicate.
Stephan Baker defended his title this year, continuing his outstanding sailing and dominance of the US Optimist class. Top Ten:
- Stephan Baker
- Malthe Ebdrup
- Cort Snyder
- Peter Foley
- Thommie Grit
- Laura Hamilton
- Thomas Sitzmann
- Sara Schumann
- Griggs Diemar
- Ryan Satterberg
GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP TOP 5
- Samara Walshe
- Sara Schumann
- Emory Friend
- Anna Vasilieva
- Anne Samis
The Carolina Yacht Club is Hiring!
The Carolina Yacht Club is located in the heart of historic downtown Charleston, South Carolina and is currently seeking a full-time Sailing Director. We currently provide spring, summer, and fall sailing sessions, as well as an adult sailing program and several certification courses. To learn more and apply, click HERE.
The Carolina Yacht Club is a sailing and social club, with membership by invitation only.
The Carolina Yacht Club was founded in 1883 by young men wanting to share their interest in sailing and yacht racing. The Club was incorporated in 1888, and moved into its current location on the Cooper River waterfront in 1907 from a small room over a wharf warehouse a few yards north of its present location.
The Club resides in an old cotton factor’s office, with expanded ballroom and reception facilities. The Boathouse, a family oriented bar and grill located on the waterfront itself, is open during the spring, summer and fall. The South Property adjacent to the original North Property is home to the dining facilities, and includes a large ballroom. The Club also boasts updated floating docks, along with boat ramp and boat hoist.
Carolina Yacht Club is a member of US Sailing and of the South Atlantic Yacht Racing Association. Our sailing program is open to youth and adults and runs all year long. We teach learn-to-sail classes, and offer a variety of advanced clinics. The junior sailing program runs spring through fall and uses the Optimist, O’pen BIC, Club 420, and J/22. Carolina Yacht Club offers a dynamic summer sailing program popular in the Charleston area.
The view from the Carolina Yacht Club is over the Cooper River into the Atlantic Ocean. The Club’s Members have use of a private boatyard, floating docks, jet docks, a boat ramp, and two hoists. We have a full-time sailing director and dock master on staff, supported by many part-time instructors and dock hands.
Coaches Locker Room: Trust & The Mental Game in Optimist Sailing
By Airwaves Optimist Reporter Bernat Gali Bou
The Optimist class is commonly the first step for many youngsters who decide to try sailing for a wide range of reasons: family tradition, the love for the water, the area where they live…whichever is the reason, the sport of sailing is quite bipolar: or you love it, or it’s really not for you at all. It can take one second, or it can take one year, but when it gets inside you, sailing will be a part of you for life. If it doesn’t, well you’re missing quite a lot.
Being the premier introductory class in the World, the boat-handling and technique in order to sail the boat in the fastest way possible isn’t exactly rocket science, and the usual combination of hard work, commitment and a bit of talent often propels any sailor to the summit. Where do outstanding Coaches stand in the equation here? I believe right between the sailor reaching a high level of boat speed and technique, and the mental skills needed to reach her or his
maximum potential.
This is a vital point to consider, and in fact, this applies to coaching at many levels, in many sports, not just Optimist sailing. It’s also very helpful for life after sports too. Why did the 1980 USA Hockey team beat the heavily-favored and superior skilled Soviet team, for example? Mental toughness, preparation and focus was a key part of Herb Brooks coaching.
Throughout 3 years in the USA, I’ve met many Coaches and several of them are really close friends. With some you share some sort of style, with others you couldn’t be more different, some like long chalk talks and others are more intense on the water, but not surprisingly we all share something: the goal to shape little persons on and off the water, to teach the importance of working the mainsheet accordingly but at the same time teach as well values like sportsmanship, respect or positiveness.
Please don’t get me wrong when I said outstanding Coaches only work on mental skills when the sailor is fast enough. I believe mental skills are taught pretty much everyday, and every sailor comes with many of them of factory (say genetics). Some of those natural mental skills are really useful (positive, tough, smart, organized) and others might make our job more challenging (too competitive, low concentration, lack of commitment). Honestly, every sailor has a unique mixed set of mental skills and I believe it’s what makes our job so unique and at the same time so difficult sometimes. What makes me love this job? Obviously not the hot weather in Texas (bad joke..), but really the constant necessity of developing new styles of coaching for those sailors that, for one reason or another, are a challenge and seems like you’ll never find the button to click and finally help the sailor achieve all his goals.
I absolutely believe mental preparation is an essential part when coaching Optis, and following my first article, it all comes from the trust you earn from them along the path of coaching. If they trust you, parents trust you, and to make those necessary changes in his mental skills will become less of a critical situation. Trust it’s itself a very important skill while sailing (parents send their precious children to the ocean in little boats every day and they just send an adult with a RIB..crazy right?) and it fills all the first level of the pyramid when it comes to develop mental skills. When we help shaping a sailor’s character on the water, it actually shapes the sailors personality onshore as well, and as Opti Coach, I believe we teach many lessons that will be useful in the future in many ambits of the sailor’s life.
In conclusion, an Opti Coach can create a strong impact in any Opti sailor career. It doesn’t matter the style, the approach or the origin, every Opti Coach strives to help on the best way they can to support, teach and help the sailor achieve all his goals and dreams and that’s what it makes our work worth the time in the water, regardless of results or events qualified.
Youth Championship 2018 29er Fleet Review
By Lauren Elder (published originally HERE)
The Youth Championship regatta hosted by the U.S sailing association is an amazing opportunity to compete with passionate, advanced group of sailors. I have many positive things to say about my experience at this regatta starting with the venue. Carolina Yacht Club is a beautiful facility right on the ocean where one can frequently rely on a warm sea breeze to fill in, which creates a fun and exciting day of racing. Although day 3 did not have any wind due to storm fronts moving through the area, I still enjoyed myself by going to the beach with my teammates, directly in front of the yacht club. The volunteers and hosts were always specifically kind and went out of their way to either give us a hand getting our boats up the ramp or just starting a conversation about the day.
In addition to the venue, the sailors made my experience very unique. I have only been sailing 29ers for less than a year, but I feel a strong connection between many of the sailors and coaches both on and off the water. The one special aspect about the 29er fleet that I have found different than any other fleet is that everyone is acquainted with one another. There is so much motivation to not only improve ourselves but our teammates too. During our team debriefs we spent time asking each other questions and sharing information, reflecting off of what works well, and what should be avoided as opposed to keeping to ourselves. We all try to learn from each other so we can advance together.
I’d like to mention Richard Feeny, the 29er fleet coach, for keeping track of many, many boats and still being available for giving advice, energy bars, and ice cold water. And also, Phil Muller for being an amazing ODP (Olympic Development Program) coach. All of his kids performed very well and kept great sportsmanship and humbleness throughout the event. As a beginner in this fleet I can’t wait to see how my teammates and I progress throughout the years. I think this regatta was an amazing example of how skilled everyone is, and how absolutely passionate they are about the sport. Unfortunately we did see a few injuries on the first day when the wind was blowing. It is upsetting to see a teammate break a mast, get injured in a capsize, or get trapped beneath a sail (they all swam out safely!), but at the end of the day those kids remained positive and continued to support their teammates on the coach boat, despite not being able to continue.
Overall the Youth Championship Regatta was a lot of fun and had some really strong racing. For most of us, this regatta was a confidence builder and an opportunity to race against the top U.S. boats. Another thanks to The Carolina Yacht Club for hosting such a successful event. Good luck to those of you who are going to Worlds, sail fast!
Tufts University Seeks Assistant Intercollegiate Sailing Coach
2018 Sail1Design High School Team of the Year Announced!
For the second year in a row, Point Loma HS has won the Sail1Design HS Sailing Team of the Year Award. Last year, PLHS had a great season, and earned the title; this year, they outdid themselves, winning both the Mallory and the Baker…. both very convincingly. Coach Steve Hunt was also nominated again for Coach of the Year, and it was very difficult not to award him that honor too (he’s a former winner). Congratulations PLHS, and below is a closer look into the HS Team of the Year, by new Airwaves writer Abby Tindall
A Look Into PLHS Sailing Team, ISSA TR & Fleet Race Champions
Point Loma has proven to be an indomitable high school sailing team once again this past sailing season. After winning the Mallory Trophy in 2017, the team recently won the Mallory Trophy and Baker Trophy in 2018. This is not the first time that Point Loma has made a clean sweep though. They have had a history of winning both championships: succeeding in 2014, 2012, 2005, 2004, and 2003. The number of times Point Loma has been top of the podium for both events is twice the amount of all other high schools combined. The only other teams to ever win both fleet and team championships in the same year were Newport Harbor in 2009, Antilles in 2006, and Coronado in 2001. In terms of Point Loma individually, the team has won 15 National Titles over the course of their career.
While it’s certainly difficult to discern what makes sailing champions, a part of their success can be attributed to the length of their sailing season. California teams are able to practice all year round, starting in the preliminary weeks of school. The Point Loma team has always had this advantage, which provides valid practice time in the winter season when most of their competitive east coast teams have not touched their boats since the end of October.
Other west coast teams have also built strong sailing programs over the years. California may as well be the powerhouse of high school sailing as 8 of the 9 teams to win both titles in the same year are based out of the state. When asked Point Loma team has been so successful, Emma Batcher, a member of the 2018 championship team, responded, “Definitely because we have very good teams around us.” In the past 28 years of the Baker Trophy, 18 of those titles have gone to California teams.
Even as a high level team, Batcher says that they get along really well and mentions, “at the last few regattas we have all had a really good team vibe like it was low stress and all joking around especially for our team race qualifier and for team race nationals.” The casual attitude of the team could definitely build the positivity and performance of the Point Loma School.
Point Loma specifically has presented the best results, so Batcher gave us an inside look at the 2018 team. She says they have about 35 sailors in total, many of whom grew up sailing in the San Diego Yacht Club program. The school is fully charged with talent and the top few boats are highly competitive during practice race days, the best four usually exchanging wins. Despite the surplus of similar sailing promise from the top teammates though, Batcher says that all year it has stayed “Jack Reiter/ Jack Eagan for team 1 and Diego [Escobar] / Marcus [Huttunen] for team 2.” Batcher guesses that the stability within the team ensures that the competition between teammates does not become too aggressive.
Also adding to the low-stress of the atmosphere is the amount of practice the team does. They only practice 2 days a week: Monday and Wednesday. Batcher says that this helps the team not burn out and “also gives our team the ability to practice other boats.” While she says she’s not sure if that helps or not, the unusual practice could correlate strongly to Point Loma’s results
Direct repetition of Point Loma’s methods may not lead all high schools to the same level of success, but a look into how the team works certainly points to a measure of why the team is ranked top in the nation. Their highly competitive California location certainly gives them a leg up, as does their positive team attitude as a result of stable skipper crew combinations. All of these factors attribute to the strength of the Point Loma team which has led them to the impressive achievements they have made in the past and will continue to make in the future.
Champions are crowned at the Clagett Regatta and the 2018 U.S. Para Sailing Championships
NEWPORT, R.I. (June 24, 2018) – The 16th C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta and the 2018 U.S. Para Sailing Championships have been run and won. Three days of racing, 10 races and the 46 sailors from across North America are now celebrating with the newly crowned champions.
“We’ve just concluded the 16th Clagett Regatta and we couldn’t do it without the support of the volunteers, sponsors, supporters and especially the sailors. We’re so thrilled that we’ve been able to join forces with U.S. Sailing to host the U.S. Para Sailing Championships this year. We are working together to demonstrate the interest in sailing and to get it reinstated to the Paralympics,” remarked Clagett President and Co-Founder Judy Clagett McLennan (Portsmouth, R.I.).
In the triplehanded Sonar class Rio Paralympian and Silver Medalist Rick Doerr (Clifton, N.J.) sailed in this regatta with a graduate of the Warrior Sailing Program Dawn Hart (Dade City, Fla.) and Charles McClure (Brookline, Mass.). They lead the Sonar fleet from start to finish over the three days. Making Doerr and his crew work for their medal was the team from Chicago of Gary Pierce (Highland Park, Ill.), Patrick LoDuca (Chicago, Ill.) and Jeff Long (Newport, R.I.), who secured second place overall.
“Thank you to my crew members they are real troopers. The competition pushed us and the level just keeps going up. The training is like no other regatta and it’s just fantastic to be here with all these great sailors,” commented Doerr after prize presentation. He continued after the being presented the Nick Scandone Award, “Nick inspired me a lot when we sailed in Beijing. It isn’t about this award it’s about being part of this group and these sailors. The challenges we have to overcome as sailors makes the results worthwhile. We owe it to others to set a high bar and pass on own knowledge to the future generations. Nick gave back and now I’m doing it and so is everyone else at this regatta.”
The 22 boats in the singlehanded 2.4mR fleet have had some fantastic racing with the Principal Race Officer Tom Duggan (East Sandwich, Mass.) commenting after the three days of racing, “It’s a super competitive fleet.” This fleet was peppered with Paralympians and nearly half the fleet have traveled from all parts of Canada to race at The Clagett and U.S. Para Sailing Championships.
Eventual winner in the largest fleet at the regatta, Dee Smith (Annapolis, Md.) managed to hold off the challengers from Puerto Rico and Canada, of Julio Reguero (Guanynabo, Puerto Rico) and Peter Wood (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada), to take home the gold medal with Reguero taking silver and Wood the bronze.
Smith commented after presentation, “I haven’t been to The Clagett for three years and I want to say thank you to everyone for continuing all their work for this regatta. I give you my congratulations to all the competitors, everyone is getting better and the competition is going to the next level and it has a lot to do with the coaching that The Clagett provides.”
A new class to adaptive sailing and The Clagett, the RS Venture Connect, had seven teams racing in a round robin
competition over the first two days of racing to make it to the semi finals Sunday. The top four teams headed in to the finals and it was the former Paralympic duo from Canada of John McRoberts (Victoria, BC, Canada) and Scott Lutes (Mahone Bay, NS, Canada), who sailed in to the top place. In the U.S. Para Sailing Championships the bi-coastal U.S. team of Cristina Rubke (San Francisco, Calif.) and Kris Scheppe (Naples, Fla.) were awarded the silver and the bronze medal went to JR Hardenburgh (Jamaica Plain, Mass.) and Nick Bryan Brown (Jamaica Plain, Mass.).
“I am very pleased to be back sailing at The Clagett, I’m really pleased to see so many new sailors this year and to have new sailors joining the ranks,” commented McRoberts who will be racing with Lutes again in the RS Venture Connect at the Para Sailing World Championships later this year in Sheboygan, Mis. McRoberts and Lutes were announced as the winners of the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Trophy, “It’s a true honor and I’m very, very shaken to be awarded this trophy,” remarked McRoberts.
For more information about The 2018 Clagett Regatta and U.S. Para Sailing Championships visit: www.clagettregatta.org or follow the Clagett on Instagram @clagett_regatta or on Facebook Clagett Regatta.
Clagett trophies awarded to:
Sonar 1 Rick Doerr/Dawn Hart/Charles McClure
2 Gary Pierce/Jeff Long/Patrick LoDuca
3 David Gaston/Mike Janota/Kevin Somers
RS Venture Connect 1 John McRoberts and Scott Lutes
2 Christina Rubke and Kris Scheppe
3 JR Hardenburgh and Nick Bryan-Brown
2.4mR 1 Dee Smith
2 Julio Reguero
3 Peter Wood
Thomas Clagett, Jr. Trophy – John McRoberts and Scott Lutes
Susan B Johnson – Sportsmanship Award – Shaylagh Lay
Larry Gadsby – Most Improved Award – Delani Hulme-Lawrence
Nick Scandone – Spirit Award – Rick Doerr
Robie Pierce and Gene Hinkle – Seamanship Award – Y-Knot program
U.S. Para Sailing Championships trophies awarded to:
- Judd Goldman Trophy and the U.S. Para Sailing Singlehanded National Champion – Dee Smith
- Doublehanded RS Venture Connect team awarded the Chandler Hovey Trophy – John McRoberts and Scott Lutes
- U.S. Para Sailing Doublehanded National Champions – Christina Rubke and Kris Scheppe
- Triplehanded Sonar team awarded the Gene Hinkel Trophy- Rick Doerr, Dawn Hart, Charles McClure
St. Thomas Sailing Center, USVI, is Hiring!
St. Thomas Sailing Center is hiring a full-time Manager/Head Instructor! It’s a new day in the Caribbean. The dawning of a new day on St. Thomas brings with it a new idea in sailing opportunities for everyone. That’s because the St. Thomas Yacht Club has introduced a unique concept of sailing instruction, boat access and racing through the opening of the St. Thomas Sailing Center. Now you can sail whenever you want, or race on a regular basis without the need to own a boat. Learn to sail or learn to race or perfect your racing skills with the guidance of a professional coach, and be able to do any of these things in one of the most perfect sailing venues and one of the most beautiful places in the world. Become part of a community of like minded people who share a passion for sailing.
This year round full time position involves teaching sailing to adults at all levels, management and maintenance of our fleet of IC-24s and Hobie Waves, as well as a desire to create and implement programs that attract new people from on island and abroad. We frequently add new offerings and approaches to accomplish these goals. The right candidate will enjoy being part of the St. Thomas sailing community and want to advance to directing the program. To learn more and to apply, visit the job ad HERE.
Foley Wins 26th International Optimist Regatta
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Speed and tactics proved the winning combination that led 13-year-old Peter Foley to place first overall at the 26th International Optimist Regatta (IOR), presented by Electronic Merchant Systems (EMS) Virgin Islands, and hosted out of the St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC), June 15 to 17. Yet it was the starts, meaning getting a front row seat on the start line without being early, that figured strongly into the Foley’s win especially in today’s final two races for the Championship Fleet. In fact, it was a combination of light winds, strong current and last day push the limits excitement among the sailors that led to many being over the start line too early and thus receive penalty points. As a result, there were several final day place changes on the scoreboard. Full results HERE
“I was in second place by 8 points going into today,” says Foley, from Coconut Grove, Florida. “My strategy was to sail my best and win the first race, which I did. Then, I was prepared to match race Ryan (Satterberg) if I needed to in the second race just to be sure and get ahead of him. In the end, he (Ryan) had two black flags (over early designations) and I only had one.”
Satterberg, from Santa Barbara, California, led the IOR/EMS the first two days and ultimately finished seventh overall in the Championship Fleet. Seventy-nine sailors completed 10 races in this fleet.
Foley also won the 13- to 15-year-old Red Fleet.
Meanwhile, it was Foley’s sister, Audrey, who led the 11-and 12-year old Blue Fleet.
“My strategy was to do my best, always find a good place on the start line, and stay in front,” says the 12-year-old Foley, who said she enjoys sailing against her brother and the competition it offers. Foley also won the Top Girl award.
Tanner Krygsveld, who won the age 10 and under White Fleet last year, led the Blue Fleet the first two days, before falling to third after two double-digit scores.
“It was the last day, all or nothing, and we were all really pushing the start line,” says Krygsveld, from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
In the White Fleet, Elliott Lipp, from Charleston, South Carolina, scored a black flag in the last race today, but two of these penalties sent class leader, James Pine, from Lakewood, Texas to third. St. Croix’s Ryan Moorhead expertly handled his starts to handily move up to second in this fleet.
“The waves were the hardest for me,” says 10-year-old Elliott. “I actually got seasick the first day. We sail in the harbor at home in Charleston and this was the first time I’ve raced in the open ocean.”
The Top U.S. Virgin Islands sailor in the IOR/EMS was St. Thomas’ Caroline Sibilly, who placed 11th overall.
“The conditions were tricky because the winds were lighter than what we usually have here, but it was a fun regatta,” says 14-year-old Sibilly. “We practiced time and distance at the start at the clinic earlier this week and that really helped me to avoid a black flag.”
In the Green Beginner Fleet, the champion was 10-year-old Alejandro Ferrer, from San Juan, Puerto Rico. The 24 sailors in this fleet completed 22 races.
“My friends told me about this regatta and I wanted to come,” says Ferrer, who started sailing a year ago. “I did bad in one race today. I said to myself I must do better next time and that helped.”
In other awards, it was the Canada’s Daniel Connors, representing the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron in Halifax, who earned the Chuck Fuller Sportsmanship Award, while it was Tony Slowik III, from the Austin Yacht Club in Texas, who was presented with the Pete Ives Award, given for a combination of sailing prowess, sportsmanship, determination and good attitude both on and off the water.
“The wind cooperated, and we had fantastic championship and beginner fleets. It was probably one of the best regattas we’ve had. As always, the St. Thomas Yacht Club and Virgin Islands Sailing Association (VISA) delivered again,” says St. Thomas’ Bill Canfield, who shared Principal Race Officer duties with Puerto Rico’s Diana Emmanuelli.
Some 110 8- to 15-year-old sailors representing five nations – the U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the USA and Canada – started the week by training in the three-day TOTE Maritime Clinic held June 11 to 13. The Clinic was run by top local and international coaches: Mykel Alonso (Coral Reef Yacht Club), Cyrill Auyer (US National team coach/Swiss coach/St Petersburgh Yacht Club); Mike Dowd (USA National team coach/Team CERT); Tino Galan (USVI coach); Bernat Gali (Spanish coach/Lakewood Yacht Club); Esteban Rocha (USA team coach for the Optimist World Championships/Lauderdale Yacht Club); Argy Resano (USVI team coach); Manny Resano (USA National team coach/California Yacht Club); Greer Scholes (USVI coach); and Omari Scott (USA team coach for the Optimist European Championships/Coral Reef Yacht Club).
The one-day TOTE Maritime Team Racing Championships took place, June 14. Out of 13 teams, the winner was Team USA Worlds, composed of Peter Foley (Coral Reef Yacht Club, Florida), Thommie Grit (Sarasota Yacht Club, Florida), Ryan Satterberg (Santa Barbara Yacht Club, California), Tommy Sitzmann (Lauderdale Yacht Club, Florida) and Stephan Baker (Lauderdale Yacht Club, Florida). This marked the first time that the sailors had competed together as a team.
The IOR/EMS was organized under authority of the Virgin Islands Sailing Association and it is a Caribbean Sailing Association-sanctioned event.
“We at EMS Virgin Islands would like to thank all the sailors, families and coaches; the race committee, principal race officers and international judges; and the St. Thomas Yacht Club for making this regatta such a success,” says Cobia Fagan, owner, EMS Virgin Islands, whose 8-year-old son, Coby, participated in the regatta for the second year and competed in the Green Fleet. “We are so happy to see many past participants return and several new sailors and their families visit the Virgin Islands and compete for the first time. We are looking forward to the IOR/EMS 2019.”
This year’s event will follow an eco-friendly theme. Sailors will be encouraged to recycle all plastic water bottles, use the reusable water bottle in the goodie bag throughout the regatta, keep all lunch bags and wrapping out of the water, pick up any trash on shore and accept drinks without straws.
The IOR is sponsored by EMS Virgin Islands, TOTE Maritime, the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, K3 Waterproof Gear and TRIO Sportswear.
RESULTS
TOP 5 FINISHERS BY FLEET
RED FLEET
1. Peter Foley, USA (27)
2. Stephan Baker, USA, USA (32)
3. Tommy Sitzmann, USA (67)
4. Jackson McAliley, USA (70)
5. Tony Slowik III, USA (72)
BLUE FLEET
1. Audrey Foley, USA (105)
2. Charles Gil Hackel, USA (106)
3. Tanner Krygsveld, St. Thomas, USVI (121)
4. Freddie Parkin, USA (124)
5. Pearse Dowd, USA (141)
WHITE FLEET
1. Elliott Lipp, USA (406)
2. Ryan Moorhead, St. Croix, USVI (424)
3. James Pine, USA (428)
4. Nathan Pine USA (474)
5. Gian Marco Piovanetti, San Juan, PR (555)
GREEN FLEET
1. Alejandro Ferrer, San Juan, PR (44)
2. Brayden Zawyer, USA (53)
3. Elinor Alfi, USA (105)
4. Ava McAliley, USA (107)
5. Coby Fagan, St. Thomas, USVI (110)
For more information, call (340) 513-2234, Email: [email protected]. For full results, visit the STYC web site at www.styc.club or www.regattanetwork.com Please also visit the International Optimist Regatta on Facebook!
ABOUT THE SPONSORS
Electronic Merchant Systems (EMS) Virgin Islands. EMS Virgin Islands offers an extensive suite of payment acceptance options through Electronic Merchant Systems, a proven leader of the industry. We work to give customers the opportunity to pay using their preferred method, including a feature rich, affordable POS system that includes EMV, Apple Pay and Google Pay. We’re continually adding new solutions, allowing business owners to make their products or services available to the broadest audience possible. www.emsvirginislands.com (340) 513-9759.
U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. The U.S. Virgin Islands are located in the Eastern Caribbean 1,100 miles southeast of Miami, Florida, USA. Each of the three major islands–St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John–possesses a unique character of its own. Visitors can enjoy a wide range of watersports as well as immerse themselves in the territory’s rich culture by enjoying historical tours, culinary encounters, artisan fairs, parades, storytelling and other special presentations. www.visitusvi.com
TOTE Maritime. TOTE Maritime is a domestic ocean freight carrier headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, that offers freight services for containerized cargo between the U.S., San Juan, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. TOTE is the first carrier to operate liquid natural gas (LNG) powered vessels. www.totemaritime.com
Media contact:
Carol Bareuther
Tel: (340) 998-3650
Email: [email protected]
Skype: Carol.Bareuther
2018 S1D/Gill Coach of the Year Announced
17 June 2018, Annapolis, MD — Sail1Design has been lucky to be part of some great moments over the years, mostly when we do our job, and take part in recognizing youth, high school, college, and one-design sailors. Reading nomination letters, hearing from our community about unsung heroes, sharing in the joy of the winners…… makes the whole Sail1Design project, now 11+ years in the making, more than worth it.
Remember, we only choose candidates from nomination letters sent in, so we sit back, and take what we get. This year, we were faced again with narrowing an incredibly deserving field. Not easy. In fact, we almost couldn’t finish the job. Two candidates stood out, for different but equally compelling reasons. After going back and forth, and at first considering having two winners, we settled on one. This year, the S1D/Gill Coach of the Year Award goes to Scott Iklé.
Scott is the Head Intercollegiate Coach at Hobart/William Smith, a position he’s held for 25 years. His roots there go 
even deeper, however, as Scott is a 1984 graduate of the college himself. Scott is a full-time, lifetime professional contributor to the world of competitive sailing, and is a standout sailor himself. He’s been worthy of an award like this for a long time, so we are elated that he was nominated. Scott has been incredibly successful over the years at Hobart/WS, and while this year the team didn’t win any of the big ones, we fell in love with his nomination letter, which came from one of his players. I think the part that touched us the most was the fact that he was nominated by one of his players, along with her “meet us halfway” description (see letter below) to show us his dedication to their team. Scott’s collegiate team’s results this year were pretty incredible as well, across the board. While most college teams would kill to be in the top 3 of any of the National Championship events, Hobart was there in all of them: 4th at COED Nationals (3 points out of 2nd), 3rd (tied for 2nd in record) at Team Race Nationals, and 3rd at Women’s Nationals. That’s pretty impressive stuff for one team, and this across-the-board average finish place at the three 
National Championship events was bested only by College of Charleston. Congratulations Scott, and well-earned.
Thanks to our sponsor, Gill NA, our winner will receive an embroidered, beautiful Gill Race Series Softshell Jacket. Below is some copy taken from the nomination letter Scott received. What a tribute.
For Scott Ikle:
Coming into college, I wasn’t sure I was going to have the skill or courage to make it past even the first day of try-outs for the Hobart and William Smith Sailing Team. But here I am today, newly graduated from HWS after spending all 4 years with the sailing team I’ve called home grateful for every second I spent here.
To us, Scott really knows how to connect to everyone on the team. Scott knows what every person needs to push them to the next level. Scott also is not a coach who will pump your ego, but he will ensure you that you are able and have the potential to make things happen… Scott is willing to go that extra mile for his team, to meet them halfway. This year at Old Dominion University, Scott quite literally met us halfway, wading waist deep in the water to be eye level and connected for our “between set pep talk” (that’s a huge feat, for 
those of us who know that Scott wears two pairs of spraypants at practice). He knows when to push, and when to let go and let us shake off the bad race, helping us get ready for the next one. ….Scott has this unique ability to understand what his sailors need, whether it be in his office on campus, hanging onto his rib after a drill at practice, or standing onshore in between sets at a regatta. In my four years at HWS, Scott has taken a team of the most unlikely people, who in 2015, did not qualify for any ICSA Finals in Newport RI, to being a strong cohesive team that placed 3rd in Women’s Finals, 3rd in Team Race Finals, and 4th in Coed Fleet Race Finals. To all of us, Scott has proven to be so much more than just a coach, but a mentor, someone we can learn from while cracking some jokes along the way, but most importantly, someone we can confide in. Scott has made Bozzuto Boathouse and the HWS Sailing Team an eternal home for his team. And although Scott would probably deny this (being as humble as he is) I truly believe there is no person more deserving of this award than Scott Ikle.
S1D Coach of the Year Winners
2018- Scott Iklé
2017- Bill Healy
2016- Bill Ward
2015- Frank Pizzo
2014- Chris Dold
2013- Steve Hunt
Worlds Team USA Wins 2018 International Optimist Team Race Regatta
Thursday, June 14 2018, St. Thomas, USVI — Coached by Pilo Rocha, the 2018 USODA Worlds Team of Stephan Baker, Peter Foley, Ryan Satterberg, Thommie Grit, and Tommy Sitzmann just topped 12 other teams and won the Team Race portion of the International Optimist Regatta, held in St. Thomas, USVI. International Optimist team race regattas are 4-on-4 events (whereas high school & college team racing is 3-on-3). The course is usually a “digital-N” (see diagram) and this regatta was the first chance for the US World team to work together. With 5 sailors, they have the ability to try different combinations, and all 5 Team USA sailors sailed in this event to help secure the win.
The TOTE Maritime International Optimist Regatta Team Race in St. Thomas, USVI was comprised of thirteen teams of five sailors. As the wind picked up to 8-12 knots the weather became perfect for team racing, which was aided by flat water in making it a great day. In a close race, the 2018 IOR Team Race Championship Title came down to a best of three races between two USA 
teams-USA World Team (Stephan Baker, Peter Foley, Thommie Grit, Ryan Satterberg and Tommy Sitzmann) and Team Invisacrox (Nico Garcia-Castrillon, Spencer Dominguez, Kevin Gosselin, Truman Rogers, Kurt Stuebe). The USA World Team clinched the title, giving the United States wins for three consecutive years. “The team worked well together with good communication during each leg of the races. This is the first time these sailors raced as a team.“ USA World’s Coach, Pilo Rocha of Lauderdale YC said, “I was pleased with their performance and I look forward to working with them as they train for The 2018 World Optimist Championship in Limassol, Cyprus.”
Conditions so far in St. Thomas have been outstanding, and the fleet racing portion of the event is set to begin Friday, June 15. For updates check our the IOR Facebook page! Photos by Mattias Cappizzano; Please check out Capizzano photos for some outstanding shots!
1st Place: USA World 1
2nd Place: Invisicrox
3rd Place: ISV1
Matias Capizzano photos
