F. Gregg Bemis was best known for his work on the racing rules which included a long tenure as chairman of the Appeals Committee, but it was his leadership role in judging at junior and intercollegiate regattas that inspired a group of co-judges to donate in 1975 a trophy for doublehanded junior sailing. Similar to the Sears it is a ladder competition starting at the yacht club level. In 1999 it was expanded to include two teams per Area (groupings of Yacht Racing or District Associations). The only two-time winners are John Shadden of the Long Beach Yacht Club, CA and Mike Funsch of St. Petersburg Yacht Club, FL .

The Bemis Sportsmanship Trophy is dedicated to the doublehanded junior national championships.  The Inter-Lake Yachtsmen's Fund, the charitable arm of US SAILING's Area E RSA Inter-Lake Yachting Association donated this new trophy in 2003 to recognize outstanding sportsmanship among Junior doublehanded competitors.  In the past a single sportsmanship trophy, the Gardner-Cox Trophy, was awarded for three Junior Championships, even though the three events were often sailed at two different venues.  Now each of the Junior Championships has its own sportsmanship award.

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