GROSSE POINTE SHORES, Mich. (August 10, 2014) – The US Sailing National Championship tour of Michigan continues this week with the U.S. Youth Championships, hosted by Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. The U.S. Youth Championships is the pinnacle youth sailing event for young women and men up to 19. Over 150 sailors representing five classes will race on Lake St. Clair beginning Monday, August 11 through Thursday, August 14.
Known as the Youth Champs, this regatta is run by a team of top judges, coaches and race officers that provide high quality racing and support. Since the origination of this championship in 1973, this event has served as a motivational force for young sailors to enjoy sailing for a lifetime, while making strong friendships along the way. U.S. Youth Championship graduates have become the stalwarts of successful college sailing programs and routinely fill out the ranks of All-Americans. Many former and current US Olympic Team Sperry Top-Sider and Development Team members have also competed at this championship. The event continues to align with the U.S. Olympic Sailing Program and youth high performance sailing.
Like all US Sailing Youth National Championship events, there is much more to this championship than racing. Quality instruction will be provided by a number of proven coaches from around the country, including US Sailing’s Junior National Coach Richard Feeny, Mike Kalin (MIT Co-Head Coach), John Pearce (George Washington University Head Coach), Elizabeth Kratzig (former member of the US Sailing Team/I420 Class Coach), Leandro Spina (US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider Youth Development Director), and Brian Swingly (US Coast Guard Academy Head Coach). Instruction will cover rigging and handling of the boats, starts, and racing tactics. Feeny and Spina will also be conducting a presentation on multihull sailing for the competitors.
Grosse Pointe Yacht Club is hosting this championship as part of the celebration of their 100 Year Anniversary. They last hosted the U.S. Youth Championships in 2006. This year’s racing venue on Lake St. Clair will be provide an intriguing challenge for the young sailors.
Media & Coverage
• For results, standings, video highlights from Chris Love, photos, Twitter updates, and more information on the 2014 U.S. Youth Championships, please visit the event website.
• For breaking news and race results, follow us on Twitter @USSailing. Use Twitter hashtag – #USYouthChamps14 – to participate in the conversation throughout the championship.
What are the Events?
• Doublehanded Dinghy – Club 420
• Doublehanded Dinghy – International 420
• Doublehanded Skiff – 29er
• Singlehanded Dinghy – Laser Radial
• Singlehanded Dinghy – Laser
Who are these Sailors?
Talented and dedicated youth sailors from around the country are invited to race based on review of the applicant’s sailing resumes. Skippers and crews cannot turn 20 in 2014. Competitors are U.S. citizens.
Schedule & Race Courses
• First race warning for Monday, August 11 is 12:30 pm EDT; August 12-14 is 11:00 am EDT
• Regatta will be sailed on Lake St. Clair immediately outside the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club Harbor.
• Courses may include windward-leeward, triangle and trapezoid course types.
• A spectator boat will be available for at least one day of racing.
Scoring Format
• Three races are required to be completed to constitute a series.
• When fewer than five races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores.
• When five or more races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score
What’s on the Line?
• US Sailing Championship medals will be awarded.
• The Manton D Scott Memorial Trophy will be awarded to the winning Open Doublehanded Dinghy (C 420) team.
• The Robert L. Johnstone III Trophy will be awarded to the winning Singlehanded–Heavy (Laser Standard) competitor.
• The Robert and Ann Conner Trophy will be awarded to the winning Singlehanded– Light (Laser Radial) competitor.
• The David M. Perry Perpetual Sportsmanship Trophy will be awarded, as well as sportsmanship keepers, in each discipline.
The U.S. Youth Sailing Championships are sponsored by Gill North America, Hobie Polarized Sunglasses, Sperry Top-Sider, and Urban Science. The Championship is a Sailors for the Sea – Clean Regattas certification event. Zim Sailing is a charter boat provider for the Club 420 and 29er.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jake Fish, US Sailing Communications Manager, jakefish@ussailing.org, 401.683.0800 x614
About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.
About Gill North America
Gill NA, with headquarters near Atlanta, GA is the exclusive importer and distributor of Gill-brand foul weather gear in North America including Caribbean, US and Canada. Gill is a worldwide apparel and accessories brand serving the marine industry with over three decades of experience. Gill specializes in high tech, breathable waterproof clothing. The company develops and markets a variety of performance-oriented, award-winning apparel and accessories for virtually every type of boating activity with product lines that include foul weather gear; interactive layering systems; footwear; gloves; bags; junior gear; scholastic gear and team wear. Gill products are available through hundreds of independent dealers and select West Marine Stores. For further information, please contact: Gary Barker at 941 505 2111 or gary.barker@gillna.com.
About Hobie Polarized
Hobie Polarized is a leading designer, developer, marketer and distributor of polarized eyewear. The brand’s innovative lens technology allows total glare reduction, 100% UV protection, enhances contrast and provides optimum visual acuity. The company’s products are sold worldwide and are used by watermen at all skill and lifestyle levels. The Hobie Polarized headquarters is located in Plainview, New York. For further information, please visit the company’s website at www.hobiepolarized.com.
About Urban Science
Urban Science is a business-solutions company focused on supporting the needs of the sales and marketing function of the automotive industry. We leverage a scientific methodology to help our client partners sell more vehicles, improve profitability and increase customer loyalty. And we do that by helping solve their toughest challenges including planning an optimal dealership network, improving individual dealer performance, and efficiently converting sales leads into sales. In short, we guide business through science—and we’ve been doing this since 1977. Today we have a team of more than 850 employees throughout 19 global offices. www.urbanscience.com