North U Youth Match Racing Clinics Helping to Grow the Sport
Dave Perry
July 8, 2015
North U has sponsored youth match racing clinics this year in Texas, southern California, New Orleans, Annapolis and most recently Chicago. Over 150 high school and college-aged sailors have been introduced to the skills and strategies of competitive match racing through a comprehensive program developed by Dave Perry (chairman of the US Sailing Match Racing Committee), Liz Baylis (Director of WIMRA) and Bill Gladstone (Director of North U). The fee for participation in these clinics is very low thanks to the generosity of a supportive match racing enthusiast.
“This is so much fun!” exclaimed a teenaged skipper in Chicago; “I can’t wait to do more.” The Chicago clinic, hosted by the Chicago Match Race Center June 23-26, had the added bonus of having two nationally ranked skippers, Stephanie Roble and Peter Holz, riding on the backs of the Tom 28’s during training. “What excites me,” said Perry “is that not only are the sailors learning a ton about competitive match racing, for which there is now a youth national and world championship as well as a collegiate one, they are learning and developing the precise boat handling, boat speed and communication skills they need to sail on a championship keelboat team in their futures. Youth match racing is truly a bridge to quality adult sailboat racing.”
