To US youth sailors ages 16-20 interested in some competitive match racing:
We encourage you to request an invitation to attend the 2019 U.S. Youth Match Racing Championship for the Rose Cup, also commonly referred to as “The Rose Cup.” The 2019 USYMRC is taking place at the San Diego Yacht Club in San Diego California from June 26 – June 30, 2019. Sailors from around the country will have the chance to claim the National Champion title. The prestigious event for youth sailors is comprised of two clinic days and three days of racing. The event features world-class coaching and expert race management. The clinic portion of the event, sponsored by North U, will be led by 5-time U.S. Match Racing National Champion, Dave Perry. Perry will be assisted by Mike Pinckney, Sailing Coach at Balboa Yacht Club.
Patrick Shanahan and Sidney Gathrid, two former sailors of the Rose Cup, shared with us the experience that they had with the event and how they recommend you become involved with match racing. Patrick currently sails on the Brown University team and Sidney sails for the University of California at Santa Barbara sailing team. Read below to learn more!
How did you get started with youth match racing?
Patrick Shanahan’s match racing career started by “sailing at the Oakcliff clinics and regattas and then applying for the Rose Cup. I had the opportunity to sail Rose Cup in 2017.”
“I started match racing by attending a Dave Perry SODA clinic,” Sidney Gathrid said.
Did the U.S. Youth Match Racing Championship impact your development as a sailor?
“Yes, the Rose Cup was tremendous for the growth of my sailing abilities. Dave Perry is super passionate and engages everyone,” Patrick said.
“I have only competed in the Rose Cup once, and though I did pretty poorly, it definitively kick started my match racing career because I fell in love with match racing,” Sidney shared; “I wanted to do as much match racing as I could after Rose Cup, so I’d get better and be able to come back as a much stronger competitor.”
Do you have any advice for a sailor considering attending the Rose Cup?
“Do it! Once you start match racing, you’ll be hooked,” Sidney advises.
What is your favorite thing about match racing?
Patrick said that the highlight of match racing is “the boat-on-boat aspect and aggressiveness.”
“Patrick and Sidney are just two of the many US youth sailors who have had the opportunity to sail in the USYMRC and who have improved as sailboat racers and have traveled around the US and World as a result,” said Dave Perry, USYMRC Head Coach; “I encourage youth sailors in their late teens and early 20’s to give match racing a try!”
Submit a request for invitation today! Requests for invitations received by April 1, 2019, will receive preference, and selected skippers will be notified by April 7, 2019. We hope to see you in San Diego!