The 2024 Chubb U.S. Youth Triplehanded Championship for the Sears Cup was a thrilling event that showcased the talents of some of the best young sailors in the country. Held at the beautiful San Diego Yacht Club, the championship featured both intense competition and exciting camaraderie, demonstrating the high skill level and sportsmanship of the participants.
Ultimately, Wayzata Yacht Club was crowned the 2024 Chubb U.S. Youth Triplehanded Champions. Dominik Moncur, Stonewall Anderson, Harper Lundeen-Hetland, and Ella Bowers earned themselves the coveted Sears Cup.
The event kicked off with a clinic coached by Dan Thompson, Assistant Head Sailing Coach of Hobart and William Smith Colleges, giving the competitors time to get used to racing in the J22s. The teams quickly found their rhythm, focusing on sail trim and technique, and starting.
Light winds of 5 to 8 knots dominated the event, and the first two days of competition tested the competitor’s adaptability and resilience. During the Qualifying Round, teams rotated through SDYC’s fleet of 12 J22’s in a round-robin format. The challenging conditions put a premium on achieving consistent scores and minimizing mistakes, with many shifts in the leaderboard.
Final Showdown
The final day of the championship was a nail-biter, with the top 9 teams racing in the Gold Fleet for the overall title, and the bottom 8 teams racing in the Silver Fleet. The sailors demonstrated excellent teamwork and boat speed in the light wind conditions, making for an exciting conclusion to the event. The championship race was particularly intense, with the top five teams battling for a spot on the podium.
Winners and Awards
At the end of the competition, Wayzata Yacht Club emerged as the 2024 Chubb U.S. Youth Triplehanded Champions, earning themselves the esteemed Sears Cup. Their consistent performance and excellent speed throughout the regatta earned them the top spot. The second and third places were secured by Austin Yacht Club and St. Francis Yacht Club respectively, who also showcased impressive skills and determination.
“The Sears Cup has been a wonderful experience for our team, and we are so thankful to everyone who made it possible for us to be here and to San Diego Yacht Club for hosting a great regatta” said Wayzata’s Stonewall Anderson. “We learned throughout the event and got better every race.”
The event concluded with an awards ceremony, celebrating the hard work and dedication of all the participants. Special recognition was given to the team from East Greenwich Yacht Club for winning the Shipshape Perpetual Award, awarded annually to the team who demonstrates the upmost care and attention to detail for their borrowed boat during and after the Championship. Additionally, the F. Gardner Cox Sportsmanship Award was awarded to the team from Willamette Sailing Club for exhibiting exceptional sportsmanship and responsibility on and off the water.
The 2024 Chubb U.S. Youth Triplehanded Championship was a remarkable display of young sailing talent. The event not only provided thrilling races but also fostered a sense of camaraderie and sportsmanship among the participants. Congratulations to all the sailors, coaches, and organizers for making this championship a memorable success.
Off the water, US Sailing was thrilled to welcome Steve Schram, Risk Strategies Senior Vice President, who joined the opening ceremonies to wish all sailors good luck from Chubb and Risk Strategies, the official insurance partner. Competitors enjoyed meeting other sailors from all over the country to celebrate the spirit of comradery in the sport and were treated to a sampling of Polar Seltzers to rehydrate, and were gifted event-branded shirts from Gill and reusable teal water bottles from Chubb and Risk Strategies.
For more information and results, please visit https://www.ussailing.org/competition/championships/2024-chubb-us-youth-triplehanded-championship/