Paul-Jon Patin wins 2016 US Sailing’s Championship of Champions

by Sunfish Class on 10 Oct 2016 Paul-Jon Patin competed against 18 other One-Design Class qualifying champion sailors from all over the country to win the top spot and the Jack Brown Perpetual Trophy.

This prestigious US Sailing Championship event was held at the Lake Bluff Yacht Club in Lake Bluff, IL, Oct. 6-9. Each competitor had to be a current US National, North American or World Champion helmsperson in one of the eligible One-Design Classes. In addition to being a Sunfish World Champion and this year's Sunfish International Masters Champion, Paul-Jon won the 2016 JY 15 National Championship and has also won championships in the Interclub Dinghy Class. Paul-Jon has also served as President of the International Sunfish Class Association (ISCA) for the past six years.

Paul-Jon said that this year's competition was 'awesome!' He said he met some of the 'nicest people' at this event and hopes to see all of the competitors at a future Sunfish event where Sunfish Class members can always find them a boat to sail. He mentioned he thought the competitors were starting to appreciate the Sunfish more as they got more familiar with the boat and realized that sailors of all sizes and ages can race this boat very competitively. What the other competitors appreciated was being helped with rigging their boats and shown go-fast rigging tips by all seven of the competitors whose primary boat is a Sunfish.

Paul-Jon's one regret was that Eduardo Cordero, his best friend and also a many times Sunfish World and North Americans champion, had to withdraw after Day 1 due to an arm injury. He was looking forward to competing against Eduardo again which they hadn't done in quite a while.

Sailing hard and fast to move into the number one spot were second place winner Greg Gust, Rush Creek Yacht Club, Rockwall, TX, and third place winner Eugene Schmitt, New Orleans. Greg and Eugene were only one point apart in the final tally vying for second and third place! Trophies were awarded to the top three places with Paul-Jon also winning the Jack Brown Perpetual Trophy. Jack Brown served as judge, regatta organizer and was a US Sailing Committee member.

The final results are:

1. Paul-Jon Patin (JY15)
2. Greg Gust (Sunfish)
3. Eugene Schmitt (Sunfish)
4. Doug Kaukeinen (Sunfish)
5. Rich Chapman (Force 5)
6. Blaire McCarthy (Youth-Laser 4.7)
7. Christian Spencer (Youth-X Boat))
8. Matt Fisher (Interlake)
9. Marguerite Koehler (Sunfish)
10. Mike McCaffrey (DaySailer)
11. Stephan Baker (Youth-Opti))
12. Nicholas Marwell (Youth-Club 420)
13. Mark Allen (Force 5)
14. William Boll (NE Beetlecat)
15. Bob Abelin (SJ21)
16. Hugh Freund (Silver Medalist Paralympic Special Guest sailor)
17. Conor Ruppen (Highlander)
18. Eduardo Cordero (Sunfish - withdrew after Day 1 due to arm injury)
19. Ed Montano (Buccaneer 18).