Like SDYC, the New York YC knows how to host a boat race, this time it was their biannual Resolute Cup, which is the defacto Keelboat Amateur Championship of the USA. 28 all-amateur teams met in mid-September in Newport, Rhode Island (the other Newport) to battle it out in white boats & white sails, rarely exceeding the 5.2kt hull speed of a Sonar. I joke, but this really is the best part of the game of sailboat racing - 20 boats on the line, equalized sails & rigging, every team for themselves to determine the champion. It takes the SDYC Lipton Cup model and basically doubles it... quite impressive both on the water and on the social side, and a giant tip of the hat to NYYC and their team of volunteers & staff to pull it off.
This past summer San Diego Yacht Club had the honor of hosting the 2024 CHUBB Triple-Handed National Championship for the Sears Cup. This event was a momentous experience made possible by long hours contributed by Junior Program staff, volunteers from our membership and SDYC staff on every level. The Sears Cup entry list boasted 17 teams, meaning 68 competitors, from 10 of US Sailing recognized areas across the country.
On August 1st, my skipper Anton and I got the opportunity to travel to Little Egg Harbor Yacht Club, in New Jersey to compete in the 2024 C420 National Championship. When we first arrived at the venue, we were greeted with hot and humid weather and very good breeze. The four practice days were relatively the same, starting out around 8 knots, and then eventually building to a 13-16 knot sea breeze. On the first day of the regatta, we experienced very similar conditions to the practice days, which allowed us to excel, achieving a 1st, and two 4ths.
Three SDYC members recently competed in the International 14 Worlds in Torbole Italy. Cameron Puckey on his Hollum designed I-14 and JP Barnes sailed with me on my Bieker 6 I-14.
The 2024 International 14 World Championships were held on Lake Garda in Torbole Italy. Torbole is next door to the better known Riva Del Garda. Both clubs sail on the same water which is on most all sailors bucket list of locations to sail, certainly in the skiff sailing crowd. Seventy boats from six different countries were present.
My crew, Wyatt Kelly and I recently traveled up to Redwood City in the Bay area to compete in the 2024 C420 North American Championship. This was our second year participating in this event. 106 participants were registered for the regatta.
Recently, my team and I attended the Rose Cup Youth Match Race Nationals. The event was held in Marblehead, Massachusetts, and spanned over five days. The first two days were composed of extensive debriefs, boat handling, and on-the-water practice. The priority was to get all the teams up to match racing speed. The renowned coach Dave Perry led the regatta and clinic teaching all the sailors the intricacies of match racing. Match racing in a nutshell is two boats that sail against each other with certain rules related to this style of sailing. Each boat sails against every other team in a round-robin series. After the round robin is complete, the top eight teams move to a quarter finals, then a semi-finals, and finally the last two boats remaining sail to the best of three against each other.