2014 U.S. Youth Sailing Championships preview

by Jake Fish on 11 Aug 2014 2014 U.S. Youth Sailing Championships - The US Sailing National Championship tour of Michigan continues this week with the U.S. Youth Championships, hosted by Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. The U.S. Youth Championships is the pinnacle youth sailing event for young women and men up to 19. Over 150 sailors representing five classes will race on Lake St. Clair beginning Monday, August 11 through Thursday, August 14.

Known as the Youth Champs, this regatta is run by a team of top judges, coaches and race officers that provide high quality racing and support. Since the origination of this championship in 1973, this event has served as a motivational force for young sailors to enjoy sailing for a lifetime, while making strong friendships along the way. U.S. Youth Championship graduates have become the stalwarts of successful college sailing programs and routinely fill out the ranks of All-Americans. Many former and current US Olympic Team Sperry Top-Sider and Development Team members have also competed at this championship. The event continues to align with the U.S. Olympic Sailing Program and youth high performance sailing.

Like all US Sailing Youth National Championship events, there is much more to this championship than racing. Quality instruction will be provided by a number of proven coaches from around the country, including US Sailing’s Junior National Coach Richard Feeny, Mike Kalin (MIT Co-Head Coach), John Pearce (George Washington University Head Coach), Elizabeth Kratzig (former member of the US Sailing Team/I420 Class Coach), Leandro Spina (US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider Youth Development Director), and Brian Swingly (US Coast Guard Academy Head Coach). Instruction will cover rigging and handling of the boats, starts, and racing tactics. Feeny and Spina will also be conducting a presentation on multihull sailing for the competitors.

Grosse Pointe Yacht Club is hosting this championship as part of the celebration of their 100 Year Anniversary. They last hosted the U.S. Youth Championships in 2006. This year’s racing venue on Lake St. Clair will be provide an intriguing challenge for the young sailors.

What are the Events?

• Doublehanded Dinghy - Club 420
• Doublehanded Dinghy - International 420
• Doublehanded Skiff - 29er
• Singlehanded Dinghy - Laser Radial
• Singlehanded Dinghy - Laser

Who are these Sailors?

Talented and dedicated youth sailors from around the country are invited to race based on review of the applicant’s sailing resumes. Skippers and crews cannot turn 20 in 2014. Competitors are U.S. citizens.

Schedule and Race Courses

• First race warning for Monday, August 11 is 12:30 pm EDT; August 12-14 is 11:00 am EDT
• Regatta will be sailed on Lake St. Clair immediately outside the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club Harbor.
• Courses may include windward-leeward, triangle and trapezoid course types.
• A spectator boat will be available for at least one day of racing.

Scoring Format

• Three races are required to be completed to constitute a series.
• When fewer than five races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores.
• When five or more races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score

What’s on the Line?

• US Sailing Championship medals will be awarded.
• The Manton D Scott Memorial Trophy will be awarded to the winning Open Doublehanded Dinghy (C 420) team.
• The Robert L. Johnstone III Trophy will be awarded to the winning Singlehanded–Heavy (Laser Standard) competitor.
• The Robert and Ann Conner Trophy will be awarded to the winning Singlehanded– Light (Laser Radial) competitor.
• The David M. Perry Perpetual Sportsmanship Trophy will be awarded, as well as sportsmanship keepers, in each discipline.

The U.S. Youth Sailing Championships are sponsored by Gill North America, Hobie Polarized Sunglasses, Sperry Top-Sider, and Urban Science. The Championship is a Sailors for the Sea – Clean Regattas certification event. Zim Sailing is a charter boat provider for the Club 420 and 29er.