Please select your home edition
Edition
Rolly Tasker Sails 2023 LEADERBOARD

The winds blew hot on the water and plentiful in the classroom

by Oakcliff Sailing on 11 Jul 2012
The victorious team at the 2012 Oakcliff Youth Match Racing Clinegatta (from left to right): Jack Thompson, Brandon Folkman, Jimmy Madigan, Nikki Barnes, Dominick Re, and skipper Michael Madigan. - Oakcliff Youth Match Racing Clinegatta Dave Perry
The combination of Dave Perry, Match 40s and Oakcliff Sailing’s completely unique training and coaching was too good to miss as a sold out crowd of fifty two young sailors showed up to learn and to match race.

Sailors ages 15 to 24 traveled from California, Florida, the US Virgin Islands, Illinois and Canada to join local sailors for four days of intense coaching from Perry, the current national match racing champion and Board member at Oakcliff.


In the end of the day it was the team from Newport Harbor Yacht Club (CA) who was victorious, but all participants went away winners. Many attendees were college sailors looking towards the 2012 ICSA collegiate national match racing championship and others were match racing for the first time. North U helped sponsor the event.

The training and racing was done in Oakcliff’s Match 40’s, which was exciting for the young sailors, many of whom were sailing on boats that size, and with a wheel, for the first time. 'I was very impressed with the steep learning curve of all the sailors,' said Perry. Our goals were to increase the knowledge each sailor has about sailing and racing a keelboat, learn a ton about match racing, learn how to develop good communication and decision making systems on board a racing sailboat, and have a lot of fun doing it. For sure we succeeded in all four.'

In addition, Oakcliff ‘s trainees (Acorns and Saplings) raced in the event. Acorns and Saplings are summer students and interns learning all aspects of sailing and racing from tactics to boat building and maintenance to navigation to the business side of running a racing boat.

The Acorns and Saplings were ecstatic with the training with comments such as 'Dave Perry blew my mind up with information. The debriefs never stopped and we didn’t want them to stop, well maybe for a snack. I learned so much it was incredible.'

Alongside the clinic, Bruce Cook, chairman of the US Sailing Umpires Committee, led an umpire training clinic, and immediately after those umpires worked the regatta.

Final Results:
Mike Madigan, Newport Beach, CA…4-2
Alex Curtiss, Chicago, IL…4-2
Sam Davidson, Larchmont, NY…4-2
Erik Lawrence, Ft Lauderdale, FL…3-3
Solomon Krevans, Oakcliff…3-3
Tim Clark, Southport, CT…2-4
Seth Cooley, Oakcliff…2-4
Danielle Gallo, Oakcliff…1-5

Switch One DesignNorth Sails Loft 57 PodcastExcess Catamarans

Related Articles

2025 WASZP Pre-Games in Weymouth starts today
131 boats from 18 countries prepare ahead of the main event The 2025 WASZP Pre-Games in Weymouth has become a magnet for the international foiling community. With 131 boats entered from 18 countries, this event is more than just a tune-up—it's a snapshot of the class's spirit.
Posted today at 5:33 am
SailGP: Stands go up in Portsmouth
The grandstand is in place and prominent on the Portsmouth shoreline, in readiness for the weekend The grandstand is in place and prominent on the Portsmouth shoreline, in readiness for this weekend's SailGP event, which marks the start of the European circuit for the League's Season 5.
Posted today at 12:22 am
America's Cup: Azzurra Challenge
Azzurra's 1983 debut turned Italian sailing into a national interest. Italy has one of the most passionate and enduring histories in the America's Cup. Azzurra's 1983 debut turned Italian sailing into a national interest.
Posted on 15 Jul
The Ocean Cleanup's 30 Cities Program
A look at The Ocean Cleanup and its the 30 Cities Program The cliche goes that one should avoid meeting one's heroes, as there's always a chance that the flesh-and-blood person might not live up to expectations. While I've never met Boyan Slat, I'd gladly take this risk.
Posted on 15 Jul
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 3
Mother Nature teases the competitors Mother Nature teased the competitors today and made them wait a bit, but she did not disappoint; the sun came out and a big westerly built to 18-20 knots!
Posted on 15 Jul
A century of human endeavour
The Fastnet Race is regarded as one of offshore sailing's most complete proving grounds For 100 years, the Rolex Fastnet Race has been regarded as one of offshore sailing's most complete proving grounds. It is a place where ambitions and dreams meet harsh reality, where skill, endurance and fortitude are severely tested.
Posted on 15 Jul
Martine Grael in Racing on the Edge
First female driver to win a Fleet Race captured in behind-the-scenes documentary Major milestone moment for SailGP captured in behind-the-scenes documentary series, which reaches 10 million total viewers since launching in 2021.
Posted on 15 Jul
Get ready to celebrate world's best sailing photos
16th edition of the Pantaenius Yacht Racing Image Award Professional photographers from around the globe are invited to submit their best yacht racing images captured between October 14, 2024, and October 12, 2025.
Posted on 15 Jul
Alli Bell & Restless crew to make Transpac history
On course to be the first woman skipper to win Transpac overall Alli Bell and the crew of her Cal 40 Restless took a winch handle to the notion that winning the Transpacific Yacht Race's top corrected-time prize requires membership in an old-boys club or a mighty war chest.
Posted on 15 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race IRC Four preview
The pinnacle of grass roots sailing has 97 entries The very largest yachts, including the 100ft Ultim foiling trimarans and 60ft IMOCAs are an essential part of the spectacle of the Fastnet Race, however a critical element in the race's enduring appeal is that this is predominately a grass roots event.
Posted on 14 Jul