C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic Regatta and U.S. Para Sailing Championships comes to Newport

2.4mR racing at the 2018 Clagett Regatta and U.S. Para Sailing Championships © Clagett Regatta / Andes Visual

The C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta and the 2021 U.S. Para Sailing Championships will be hosted at Sail Newport in Newport, R.I. on August, 27-29, 2021.

The combined event welcomes 33 sailors from 11 states across the U.S. as well as Puerto Rico. These athletes have spent the last two days taking part in the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta coaching clinic. There are many returning faces along with new sailors, all who will be keen to put the knowledge and skills imparted by four of the worlds best coaches.

Fourteen 2.4mR sailors, five Martin 16 teams and three triplehanded Sonars who are all in Newport R.I. to race in the 18th Clagett Regatta and the 2021 U.S. Para Sailing Championships, will see a variety of conditions forecasted for Narragansett Bay over the upcoming three days.

Racing will be run by an extremely experienced race management team led by recently returned Olympic Principal Race Officer Tom Duggan, who had his team out preparing today to provide the best on water race management possible.

"We are thrilled to see so many familiar faces, along with newcomers here for the last two days of coaching and now ready to compete over the next three days of racing," said Clagett Co-Founder and President Judy Clagett McLennan.

The U.S. Para Sailing Championships is one of the oldest sailing regattas in the U.S. for sailors with disabilities. The talented field often includes Paralympians, US Sailing Team members, and new contenders.

• The U.S. Para Sailing Singlehanded Championship for the Judd Goldman Trophy will be raced in the 2.4mR class.
• The U.S. Para Sailing Doublehanded Championship for the Chandler Hovey Trophy will be raced in the Martin 16
• The U.S. Para Sailing Triplehanded Championship for the Gene Hinkel Trophy will be raced in Sonars.

Along with the Championship trophies, the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Trophy, the Susan B. Johnson - Sportsmanship Award, the Larry Gadsby - Most Improved Award, the Nick Scandone - Spirit Award and the Robie Pierce and Gene Hinkle - Seamanship Award will be presented to sailors taking part in the regatta.

First established in 1986, the U.S. Independence Cup became US Sailing's National Championship for sailors with disabilities in 1989. In 2007, the regatta moved under the championships division of US Sailing and was renamed the U.S. Disabled Sailing Championship. In 2018, the event was renamed the U.S. Para Sailing Championships to align with International Paralympic Committee terminology for all sports.

Many competitors racing at the U.S. Para Sailing Championships and The Clagett have gone on to represent the United States at the Paralympics Games, including Nick Scandone and Maureen McKinnon, gold medalists in 2008; John Ruff, bronze medalist in 2008; Jennifer French and J.P. Creignou, silver medalists in 2012; Rick Doerr, Hugh Freund and Brad Kendell, silver medalists in 2016.

More information at clagettregatta.org and U.S. Para Sailing event website here.