2019 U.S. Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship to feature Club 420 and 29er Fleets

2018 U.S. Youth Sailing Championships © US Sailing

US Sailing has made an important addition to the racing at the 2019 U.S. Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship for the Ida Lewis Trophy, hosted by the San Diego Yacht Club. For the first time in event history, the Championship will feature two events - the Club 420 and 29er. The 2019 U.S. Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship is sponsored by Sperry and Zim Sailing.

In the past, this Championship has featured one event in the Club 420 to compete for the Ida Lewis Trophy. This year, the high-performance 29er has been injected into the Championship to provide additional opportunities for doublehanded teams to race and compete against top peers from around the country, while learning from a collection of the top coaches in the country. The Club 420 and 29er sailboats are provided by Zim Sailing.

The San Diego Yacht Club will host 78 sailors, competing across these two classes over three days of racing and two days of clinics. Racing begins Monday, July 22 and will conclude Wednesday, July 24.

The racing area will be approximately 1 NM southeast of Zuniga Jetty in the area known as the Coronado Roads.

Competitors will be greeted with the opportunity to learn from a panel of seven US Sailing fleet coaches. Clinic days will be this Saturday and Sunday, July 20-21.

US Sailing Coaches:

Giselle Camet Nyenhuis: 1992 Olympian, 1990 Youth World Champion
Richard Feeny: US Sailing Youth National Coach
Charles Higgins: Head Coach, Tulane University
Elizabeth Kratzig: 8-time US Sailing Team Member, World Match Racing Medalist
Alana O'Reilly Marks: 3-Time All-American (2004, 2005, 2006), Quantum Collegiate Sailor of the Year (2006) for the College of Charleston
Molly Pleskus: Head Coach, San Diego Yacht Club
Beka Schiff: Former College of Charleston Sailor, Club 420, Laser, Opti, Keelboat Coach in Southern California.

Championship History:

Support of the U.S. Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship as well as the clinics is made possible by funds provided by the late C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. to perpetuate his unwavering dedication to junior women's sailing. This support is intended to encourage young American women to enhance their sailing ability, with emphasis on sportsmanship, by providing the opportunity to compete in national-level competition with guidance from high-level coaching. Tom Clagett's family continues to assist in fulfilling his vision.

The U.S. Junior Women's Championships Committee annually hosts two events: a Singlehanded and a Doublehanded championship. Both championships are open events.

The U.S. Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship started in 1995.

Prizes:

The Ida Lewis Trophy is the perpetual trophy presented to the winning team in the Club 420 Event.
US Sailing Championship medals will be awarded to competitors who finish first through fifth.
Trophies will be awarded to competitors finishing in the top three places.
The C. Thomas Clagett Jr. Sportsmanship Prize will be awarded to a team based on the results of the competitors' ballots.

For more information, vist event website