Kyle Rogachenko - U.S. Singlehanded Champion

by Cynthia Goss on 30 Jul 2007 Pennsylvania sailor Kyle Rogachenko (Collegeville, Pa.) was one of few sailors who could hold a steady place on the leader board at the U.S. Singlehanded Championship, hosted July 24-28 by the Corinthian Yacht Club in Cape May (N.J.) and sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A. and Vanguard Sailboats, supplier of the Lasers sailed in the event.

Winds were light, not one skipper in the 23-boat fleet could easily log a string of bullets, and first-place finishes ran as deep as the 13th-place boat. Each night after racing, competitors saw their fortunes rise and fall as scores were tabulated and fleet positions shifted. But 19-year-old Rogachenko held steady at the position that counts most: first.

At this US SAILING championship—which drew skippers who ranged in age from 16 to 69—Rogachenko led the fleet after a first day of three races, by a four-point margin. After four more races on day two, his lead had downsized to two points—but that was enough to capture a regatta win. Without a breath of air blowing off the Cape May coast on the third day of the regatta, racing was called in the early afternoon and Rogachenko had claimed a new crown. Winds for the regatta ranged 5 to 11 knots.

Boat speed and consistency were the keys to Rogachenko's success. Although he did not win a single race, he opened the regatta with a seventh-place finish and never dropped below fourth for the rest of the regatta. 'Boat speed was really important because of the light air,' he said at regatta's end. 'But no matter what the breeze was like, there was always a group who were really fast.' As winner of the regatta, Rogachenko claims the George D. O'Day Trophy, a special trophy named for a legendary builder of small boats who was also an Olympic medalist.

Among those whose speed translated into a medal performance were Clayton Johnson of Tom's River (N.J.), who captured second place, and West Coast sailor Charlie Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif.), who finished in third. Buckingham, who won the opening race of the regatta, was the only other sailor who finished in the top 10 who also held his position in the fleet after each day of racing.

Looking at his second-place finish, Johnson chided himself for a conservative first day of racing. But he opened the second day of racing with two bullets in the first two races. 'The first day, I was too conservative,' said Johnson, 'The second day, I was a little more risky and got better starts … Kyle and Charlie were really fast: it was good practice.'

For Johnson and Rogachenko, the practice of racing this week off Cape May will come in handy this fall, when both sailors head to Newport (R.I.) to race in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Sailing, the regatta that determines which sailors will represent the United States at the 2008 Olympic Games in China. The winner of the O'Day Trophy earns a spot on the starting line of the Trials, but Johnson and Rogachenko had already qualified to race in the event.

Peter Seidenberg of Portsmouth (R.I.) was awarded the Peter J. Barrett Sportsmanship Trophy, an accolade named for a two-time Olympic medalist and the first winner of the O'Day Trophy who was well known amongst his peers for his sense of fair play and honesty. Seidenberg, age 69, won the third race of the seven-race series and ended the regatta in 13th place. 'It’s great a man of my age can compete well with all of the youngsters,' he said, after his race victory on Thursday.

For more information on the event and complete results, visit the event website at http://www.ussailing.org/championships/adult/ussc. The U.S. Singlehanded Championship for the George D. O'Day Trophy is part of US SAILING’s National Championships series; for more information about these events, visit www.ussailing.org/championships.

About Vanguard Sailboats
The U.S. Singlehanded Championship is once again sponsored by Vanguard Sailboats, manufacturer of the Lasers used in the event. Vanguard Sailboats has been a dedicated sponsor of numerous U.S. National Championships for more than a decade. Vanguard supports and sponsors sailing at many levels, encouraging sailors of all ages in the United States to participate in and enjoy the sport, ensuring great competition among sailors. Visit their website at www.teamvanguard.com.

About Rolex Watch U.S.A.
Since Rolex Watch U.S.A. first presented timepieces to America’s Cup defenders in 1958, the company has consistently recognized and encouraged excellence in every important arena of competitive sailing, including Olympic Games preparation, US SAILING championships, disabled sailing, and offshore, one-design and women’s events. In 2007, Rolex returns as a sponsor of US SAILING's adult sailing competitions—a series of events that provides unparalleled competition in identically matched boats where winning is a matter of teamwork and strategy, not design and equipment. Since 1997, Rolex’s sponsorship has provided grants to host clubs for the purpose of improving competition and subsidizing clinics.

About US SAILING
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is the national governing body for sailing. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the organization provides leadership for the sport of sailing in the United States. US SAILING offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.

FINAL RESULTS (23 boats / 7 races, no discard)
1. Kyle Rogachenko (Collegeville, Pa.); 7, 2, 4, 2, 4, 2, 4: 25 points
2. Clayton Johnson (Toms River, N.J.); 5, 6, 7, 1, 1, 5, 2: 27 points
3. Charlie Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif.); 1, 9, 8, 4, 6, 1, 3: 32 points
4. Emery Wager (Seattle, Wash.); 2, 4, 14, 5, 10, 4, 1: 40 points
5. Sarah Lihan (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.); 17, 1, 10, 18, 3, 10, 6: 65 points