Strong winds and women predicted at U.S. Junior Women's Singlehanded Championship

by Brittney Manning 11 Jul 2019 07:42 HKT 8-13 July 2019

This week, sailors will head to the breezy San Francisco Bay area for the 2019 U.S. Junior Women's Singlehanded Championship for the Nancy Leiter Clagett Memorial Trophy. The Championship occurs annually at various organizations around the country. Each year, the event hosts female singlehanded sailors to compete for the winner's title. This year, Richmond Yacht Club will host 43 sailors, competing across two classes. Racing begins tomorrow, Thursday, July 11 and will conclude Saturday, July 13.

Competitors will be greeted with the opportunity to learn from a panel of six US Sailing Fleet Coaches. Each day, the coaches will rotate through assigned groups to ensure each sailor has had the opportunity to work with all six coaches.

US Sailing Fleet Coaches

• Morgan Collins, Assistant Sailing Coach, Old Dominion University
• Anna Tobias, Two-time Olympian (2008, 2012), Olympic Gold Medalist (2008)
• Beka Schiff, College of Charleston Sailing Team Graduate (2015)
• Hannah Tuson-Turner, University of Hawaii Sailing Team Graduate (2011)
• Alana O'Reilly Marks, Three-Time All-American (2004, 2005, 2006) and Quantum Collegiate Sailor of the Year (2006) for College of Charleston
• Doug Hart, Laser Master North American Champion, Snipe North American and National Champion

Richmond Yacht Club is looking forward to hosting the Championship for the second time. "After hosting this event for the first time in 2011, we are thrilled to welcome the U.S. Junior Women's Singlehanded Championship back to Richmond Yacht Club." Said Ornaith Keene, Rear Commodore of Richmond Yacht Club. "I'm impressed, but not surprised, with the number of Richmond Yacht Club members who have stepped up to volunteer to help make this event fantastic and memorable for the sailors. It is inspiring to see this group of 43 young women prepares for this National Championship, and I wish them the best of luck."

Registration increased significantly for the 2019 event, in part, thanks to the addition of the Laser 4.7 class. Twelve female sailors will compete in the 4.7 class' inaugural appearance at this regatta.

The Laser Radial class features 31 sailors, 12 of which attended the 2018 event and are returning to sail in Richmond, California for the 2019 Championship. Laser Radial sailor, Sarah Young (Tiburon, Calif.) of San Francisco Yacht Club returns to the Championship for the fourth year in a row. After last year's third-place finish, Young will be looking to once again stand on the podium at this year's event.

The U.S. Junior Women's Championship was started in 1980 by C. Thomas Clagett Jr. (Washington, D.C.) at the Ida Lewis Yacht Club in Newport, R.I. Competitors sailed for a trophy in memory of Tom's wife, Nancy Leiter Clagett (Washington, D.C.) who passed away in April, 1977. The clinic preceding the event is made possible by the funds provided by the late C. Thomas Clagett Jr. to perpetuate his unwavering dedication to Junior Women's Sailing.

For more information visit event website.