Triple Crown grants fund Olympic aspirations
by Oakcliff Sailing 8 Oct 2020 08:31 PDT
Oakcliff Triple Crown Series © Oakcliff Sailing
Another successful Triple Crown has come and gone at Oakcliff. As the first year of the 2024 quad, the focus on giving spreading the support with younger sailors. Grants given to winners help them on their long-term Olympic journey.
Read the press release here.
We're not done with high performance racing yet - Oakcliff and Seawanhaka are hosting a causal Waszp regatta October 24-25. And just because... it is Oakcliff... we will have one more Double Handed Offshore Race in the Melges 24s, October 14 and 15. Follow all of the action on Facebook page.
Meanwhile, we have some fun fall activities going on around the Oakcliff campus. This Saturday is the revived Harvest Regatta. Sail an Oakcliff boat or bring your own and sail our "classics course" with a fun twist (involving tricks, treats and pumpkins!). Register on website.
If you are still local on Thanksgiving, start your day with a brisk Turkey Trot benefitting Oakcliff and other local nonprofits. Get in your daily steps on Turkey day by signing up online.
Lastly, Executive Director Dawn Riley got back to her midwest roots this week when she spoke with Greg Normand for his show Inside Great Lakes Sailing. Catch it on YouTube.
More than a million dollars awarded throughout Oakcliff Triple Crown Series
Stage 2 of the Oakcliff Triple Crown Series saw 60 sailors compete in three Olympic classes: the 470, 49er, and 49erFX. US Sailing Team athletes, Dave Hughes and Stu McNay, followed their win at Stage 1 with another victory in Stage 2 in the 470. Brothers Chris and Duncan Williford (Lauderdale Yacht Club) managed to pull off the same in the 49er. The standings in the FX were shaken up quite a bit from Stage 1 with local high school sailors Steve Hardee and Nick Gargiulo (Stony Brook School) coming out on top. See full scoring here.
The Oakcliff Triple Crown series was designed to directly reward campaigning Olympic athletes with financial assistance based on their sailing performance. It is the only regatta in these classes that offers prize grants and, since its inception in 2017, Oakcliff has awarded over one million dollars to aspiring Olympic athletes. This year, there were many young Olympic hopefuls getting their first experience in an Olympic-class regatta. The Race Officials put them through the paces with a full 15 races in all classes. Not only do the prize grants provide invaluable support to them as they lay the foundation for their campaigns, but the experience in the boats is a tremendous source of momentum.
"For us, the Triple Crown has been huge," said Duncan Williford. "It's our first regatta that we've done together and it has provided much-needed experience for our campaign. This is an unparalleled opportunity for youth sailors to hop in Olympic-class boats like this and get their feet wet and see what the next level is like. We personally coach a lot of the 29er kids who stepped up into the 49er and FX this weekend and they had a blast. We're worried it will be hard to convince them to go back!"
Harvest Regatta this weekend!
Bring your own or sail an Oakcliff boat, modern and Lawrence classics you are all invited to the Harvest Regatta this Saturday. Supporters you can take your boat anytime from noon onwards, but at 3pm, join in and race the "Classics Course," starting at Seawanhaka, rounding the Caisson in Cold Spring Harbor, out to the green can and back. Pumpkins will be deployed around the race course for competitors to pick up. Each pumpkin will have a number corresponding to a "trick" or "treat" back at base.
After racing, Oakcliff's picnic boat will deliver fresh-grilled kielbasa, drinks and snacks to each boat, making sure everyone can stay properly bubbled. Costumes are optional, but encouraged! Sign up online here or email at with any questions.
Watch Oakcliff's Doublehanded Offshore event
Don't miss this year's second Melges 24 Doublehanded Offshore Race October 14-15. This groundbreaking, one-design format was pioneered by Oakcliff last year as a test for the Mixed Gender Offshore event debuting in the 2024 Olympics. Each boat has been modified by the Oakcliff team to prepare them for doublehanded offshore sailing, including special mainsails, moveable ballast, and smaller, more manageable kites.
To mimic the Olympics, the race will be live streamed, with a live streaming device mounted to the back of each Melges. Viewers will be able to follow along during the entire race, checking in on their favorite competitors on our Facebook page. The Oakcliff media team will also be providing photo and text updates, including interviews with the competitors on Facebook. Make sure to follow along!
Take a trot by the bay
Local to the Oyster Bay area? Run the Oyster Bay Turkey Trot, benefiting Oakcliff and other local nonprofits! The 5K starts, rain or shine, at 9:30am on Thanksgiving day at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School. Competitors will be properly socially distanced, including staggered starts to keep runners safe. Prizes will be awarded to the top three runners in each age group, and each competitor will receive a free buff. Sign up online here.
Waszps "Swarm" to Oyster Bay
Waszp sailors - now is your chance to get in one last weekend of racing before winter comes to the Northeast. Oakcliff and Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club are hosting a casual Waszp "swarm" regatta October 24-25 in Oyster Bay. There is a $25 entry fee to cover race organization and boat storage. First warning is at 11am each day, with a 3pm last warning on Sunday. Oakcliff will have [three] boats available for charter on a first come, first serve basis. Register for the event on Clubspot. Don't miss a chance to get in a good weekend of foiling!