Paralympic medalist signs up for Clagett Oakcliff Match Race Regatta

by Sam Crichton on 15 Aug 2017 Paralympic silver medalist Rick Doerr (Clifton, N.J.) is ready for a new sailing challenge at the Clagett/Oakcliff Match Race Regatta coming up on August 25-27, in Oyster Bay, N.Y.

Doerr and his crew won the Silver medal in the Sonar fleet racing at the 2016 Rio Paralympics so he is extremely familiar with the boat but it will be the racing format that provides the challenge for the Sonar World Champion.

'I recently returned from racing at the Independence Cup in Chicago and we sailed in the Sonar. I sailed with Charles McClure (Brookline, Mass.) in Chicago and he has agreed to sail with me for the Clagett/Oakcliff. This will be my first time actually match racing and I'm looking forward to the new racing format. We used match racing skills when we trained with our training partners for the Paralympics so I am some what familiar with the format, I'm interested to try something different. Without a lot of Paralympic sailing on the horizon for the moment I am looking to keep my sailing schedule full, sailing is in my blood. I'll be heading to Nova Scotia for the Sonar World Championships after I've been at Clagett/Oakcliff,' remarked Doerr.

Returning to defend their 2016 title will be a team from the Warrior Sailing Program with Mike Hersey (Centerville, Mass.), who was crew on the winning team, lining up again in 2017. Joining Hersey on the Sonar will be Rachelle Pontes (St. Petersburg, Fla.) and David Caras (Maderia Beach, Fla.), both graduates of the Warrior Sailing Program advanced sailing program.

'I will be back to sail with the Warrior Sailing Program. It will be a different team, I will be the only returning member from last year's team. It's a privilege to sail with the Warriors and help them improve their skills. And any chance I can get to hear Dave Perry, is worth the trip. Last year Oakcliff and Judy McLennan were fabulous hosts and I'm looking forward to another great event,' commented Hersey about his title defense.

Along with Doerr and Hersey, there will be six teams lining up to work with world renowned match racing coaches Dave Perry and Dave Dellenbaugh.

Clagett regatta regulars Tim Ripley (Randolph, N.J.) and Charlie Rosenfield (Woodstock, Conn.) will be again joining forces to team up for the match racing regatta. Both Ripley and Rosenfield will have to adjust to sailing as part of a crew as both sailors are usually found sailing the single handed 2.4mR boat.

'I had never experienced match racing before the event last year; Tim and I enjoyed it and learned a lot so we’re looking forward to doing it again,' remarked Rosenfield.

2017 will be the second year for the Clagett/Oakcliff Match Race Regatta for sailors with disabilities and it will see the return of Dave Perry (Southport, Conn.) as coach for the teams racing and he will be joined this year by another Dave, Dave Dellenbaugh (Easton, Conn.).

In 2016, the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta and Oakcliff Sailing Center in Oyster Bay NY along with The WaterFront Center, partnered to create the inaugural Clagett/Oakcliff Match Race regatta. The 2016 regatta, which had eight teams from across the US taking part, and 2017 the regatta will have openings for 10 teams.

'The line up we have for teams and coaches for the second Clagett/Oakcliff Match Race Regatta has shown that the match racing format is a popular one that sailors want to learn about and participate in. To have two more teams joining the regatta to learn from the highly respected coaches we will have this year bodes well for adaptive sailing,' commented Clagett President and Co-founder Judy Clagett McLennan (Portsmouth, R.I.).

Both Perry and Dellenbaugh have reputations for providing match racing coaching to sailors that is second to none. Sailors returning in 2017 have commented about the inaugural regatta being one of the best events they have had the opportunity to attend and have encourage others to make attending a top priority.

The 2017 regatta will be raced in Sonars again this year which have been loaned to the regatta from both The WaterFront Center and Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club. Scheduled for August 25-27, 2017, the teams will spend the first day and a half taking part in coaching and practice racing, followed by a match racing regatta for the remaining day and a half.

Due to some last minute withdrawals there are two places available for teams who would like to take part in the Clagett/Oakcliff Match Race Regatta. Teams are still being accepted and interested sailors can contact Bill Simon at Oakcliff Sailing Center.

'I am thrilled to be working with such great partners on the Clagett / Oakcliff Match Race hosted by The WaterFront Center. We have some very talented sailors coming again this year. Two teams had to drop out at the last minute so we are looking for one or two more teams to join the regatta and coaching. We are hoping that moving the regatta to the end of August will bring cooler weather with a touch more wind,' said Oakcliff Sailing Race Program Director Bill Simon (Oyster Bay, N.Y.).