ISCA Masters World and USSCA Nationals at Midwinters

by ISCA 20 Mar 2018 00:11 AEDT 18-20 & 22-24 March 2018

Starting today, internationally-renowned sailors from across the globe will gather in Panama City to compete in two regattas that will determine the best Sunfish® sailors in the U.S. and in the world, and who will represent their country at the 2019 Pan American games in Lima, Peru.

The St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club will host the 2018 International Masters World Championship in the Sunfish® Class sailboat, endorsed by ISCA, March 18-20, 2018. Sailors aged 40 and older will travel to Panama City from all over the United States and the world to compete for the title of 2018 ISCA Master World Champion in this four-day event.

At the conclusion of the Master World Championship, Sunfish® sailors from all over the United Stated and the World will compete in the USSCA National Championship at Midwinters. From March 22-24, these sailors will vie for three slots to qualify their country to sail in the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

A Sunfish® sailboat is a one-person sailing dingy that is one of the class of sailboats which competes in the Pan American Games (a prestigious Olympic style event for the countries of the Americas).

Some of the registered competitors include:

• Former Olympic sailor and National Sailing Hall of Fame inductee Harry C. "Buddy" Melges.
  
• Paul-Jon Patin, 1992 World Champion, past ISCA president, winner of last two Sunfish Masters International Championships, winner of 2016 US Sailing Champion of Champions, past Interclub US National Champion, past JY15 North American champion.
  
• Gail Heausler, four-time Women's Sunfish North American Champion
  
• Dick Tillman, Past ISCA president, four-time Sunfish Masters International Champion, First ever Laser North American champion.
  
• Alonso Collantes, from Peru, the 2016 & 2017 Sunfish World Champion and 2016 North American champion.
  
• Jonathan Martinetti, from Ecuador. 2010 Sunfish World Champion, 2015 Pan American Games Sunfish event gold medal winner, 2014 and 2015 Sunfish Midwinter Champion, 2009 Sunfish NAs champion. Multiple top-10 finisher at Worlds and North Americans.

All racing will take place on St. Andrews Bay, and the action can be viewed from many locations in Panama City which have a view of the open bay such as the Panama City Marina or along Beach Drive. The social events at the St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club are open to the public. Adult Social Tickets (ages 21 and over) are $45 and Youth Social Tickets (ages 6-20) are $30. Tickets include admittance to all regatta functions, including the welcome party, post-racing refreshments, and the regatta banquet.

Members of the media are welcome to watch the racing on the water by making advanced arrangements with The St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club.

More information is available at Panama City Regatta website.