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US Youth Champ, Olympic Contender, Young Northwest Women Sailors Rock!

Kurt Hoehne Racing, Uncategorized, Youth Sailing , , 0 Comment

Last weekend, unknown to many local sailors, a major championship was occurring at Sail Sand Point in Seattle. The US Sailing Junior Women’s Championship (Leiter Cup) was sailed in picture perfect conditions over four days. Twenty-eight young women from all over the country turned up, but it was area sailor Talia Toland that ended up on top.

Toland earned the victory, having sailed several years in Lasers on the growing and very competitive Northwest Youth Circuit. A quick look at her results over the last few years show a steady progression through the ranks. And while second place went to Kiera O’Reardon of Houston Yacht Club, third went to up-and-coming local Abbie Carlson from the Seattle Yacht Club.

The biggest winners were the Pacific Northwest racing community and Sail Sand Point. “US Sailing was skeptical that we could pull this off,” explained SSP Executive Director Mary Anne Ward. “They wanted four separate rooms for videos and a full kitchen and a few other things that we just don’t have.” But in the end, it went off without a hitch, thanks in large part to virtually perfect winds, northerlies first, followed by southerlies and then ending on northerlies. Ten races were completed.

“US Sailing is already talking to us about hosting more events,” Ward said.

The US sailing recap of the event can be read at the end of this post. More of Jan Anderson’s photos can be found here, and results can be found here.

Our Olympian Helena

scuttplaning

Of course many of the young women sailing last weekend dream of going to the Olympics. Well, one of “ours” is there right now. Helena Scutt is crew on the 29erfx, a very high performance skiff class for women.

Helena Scutt
Helena Scutt

She and skipper Paris Henken are in Rio right now. I hope to have some tidbits from Helena to share with you, and will convey them as soon as I can. In the meantime, here is a video interview of Scutt and Henken when they secured the Olympic spot.

 

 

Talia Toland Wins U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehandeds

Published on July 31st, 2016

A fleet of 28 Laser Radials competed at the U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship, held July 29-31 on Lake Washington in Seattle, WA. In the end, it was Washington native, Talia Toland (Kirkland, Wash.), who ran away with the title in her home state.

Toland enjoyed a three point lead over Kiera O’Reardon (Houston, Texas) through eight races entering Sunday’s final two races. With the Nancy Leiter Clagett Memorial Trophy on the line and two 50-minute races to go, Toland won her third race of the Championship in Race 9 and gained two more points on O’Reardon, who placed third.

In the 10th and final race, Toland ensured O’Reardon did not catch her in the standings by finishing three places ahead of her (14th to 17th) to win the Leiter Trophy.

“This is my third year sailing at the Leiter Trophy and it’s great to finally put it all together in my home venue,” said Toland. “It was kind of cool that we had different wind direction every day of the regatta. I stayed in the pressure and stayed pointing towards the mark and kept a cool head in the shifty conditions, which helped a lot when you patience. I had a chance to work with all the coaches, which is really great. It’s cool to see how I’ve developed from year to year at this event.”

Toland placed third at this Championship last year and sixth in 2014.

The top six boats qualified for early acceptance to the 2017 U.S. Youth Sailing Championships – a qualifier for the 2017 ISAF Youth World Championships in Israel.

Final Standings (Top 6 of 28; 10 races, 1 discard)
1. Talia Toland, Seattle Yacht Club/Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, 1-5-5-4-2-2-1-4-1-[14]- ; 25
2. Kiera O’Reardon, Houston Yacht Club, 3-2-4-1-9-6-3-3-3-[17]- ; 34
3. Abbie Carlson, Seattle Yacht Club, 9-1-2-2-1-[14]-8-9-11-5- ; 48
4. Lillian Myers, Sarasota Youth Sailing, 16-3-17-[23]-3-1-2-6-8-1- ; 57
5. Julia Sheaffer, Lakewood Yacht Club, 14-6-[21]-7-11-3-5-2-13-4- ; 65
6. Maggie Toombs, Orcas Island Yacht Club/ Sail Orcas, 5-7-6-14-6-4-4-14-9-[19]- ; 69

This Championship was preceded by two days of clinics featuring a collection the country’s top coaches. The clinics were led by Richard Feeny, US Sailing Junior National Coach.

Seattle RS Aero Sailors Shine in Sardinia

Kurt Hoehne PNW sailors around the world, RS Aero, West Coast Sailing, Women Sailors, Youth Sailing 0 Comment
Seattle RS Aero Sailors Shine in Sardinia

The real stories behind race results are generally way more interesting that the results lines. Take the recently concluded RS Aero Worlds sailed in Sardinia July 26-30.

It would be easy to look at the results and say, “there goes Dan Falk winning another Worlds” and leave it at that. True, but there’s so much more to the story. On the first day, after sailing two solid races and competing at the front during the third race, Falk scored a DNF. It turns out that was a major collision. As he crossed in front of a boat from another class while on a run, Falk’s leech loaded, perhaps in a puff, spinning him into that other boat. A hole in the other boat was the result (Aeros are not exactly bulletproof) and Dan’s day ended.

On the evening of the second day, illness hit. Food poisoning? Other competitors shared the similar illnesses. Regardless, it was a sleepless night as Falk’s body got rid of absolutely everything not tied down in his stomach. The next day he faced a choice between being miserable in his hotel room or being miserable on the water, and he chose the latter. To make matters worst, there were lack of wind delays and the fleet spent seven hours on the water. That’s time spent about 6″ off the water, which is a long day for sailors at 100% health.

Class winners, including Dan Falk on the right.

He faced the final day in a haze. Not even fully aware of the results (he was virtually tied with Madhavan Thirumalai for the lead), he needed to win the final two races to win the regatta. Sailing in a weakened conditioned, but completely relaxed, he did just that.

That win and several other impressive performances cemented the Seattle RS Aero fleet as a powerhouse. Last year the fleet dominated the worlds, winning all three classes (differentiated by sail size) in the Columbia River Gorge Worlds. This year Keith Hammer finished third behind Falk in the “9s,” Jay Renehan was 4th in the large “7s” class, and young Dieter Creitz was second in the new “6s” class.

There was a good mix of conditions, and with air temperature in the 80s and water temperature around 70. Family members not sailing enjoyed the beaches and general aura of Sardinia.

Stepping back from the Seattle story, there are few things worth noting. RS Aero is thriving in Europe. More than 120 sailors showed up for the event. The variety of sail sizes, particularly in the lower ranges, have made the boat accessible to a wide variety of sailors. For instance, one might wonder why there were “5” and “6” classes, but those were two of the largest fleets. That also meant that juniors and smaller women could more easily compete.

Tons of photos and results here.

US Youth Champs and Junior Women’s Championships

Kurt Hoehne Uncategorized 0 Comment

The US Youth Championships registrations are open – but close in April so if you’re young (don’t turn 20 by the end of the year) and are chosen, it’s a chance to attend a regatta won years ago by Dalton Bergan, Charlie McKee and Carl Buchan. NOR here. Entry and selection guide here.

Ed. Note: Alert reader and fellow dinghy sailor Mike Johnson points out that PNWer Emery Wager also won the US Youth champs. How can I forget Emery? I spent enough time watching him sail farther and farther ahead. Mike found an interesting paragraph on Emery’s US Youth Champs exploits:

2003
 In his fourth time to the US Youth Championship, Emery Wager of Seattle, WA, dominated the Laser fleet from the first day. Emery scored eight bullets a fourth and a fifth for 17 total points. He was so far ahead that he didn’t have to sail in the final race. Wager credits his win to good practice. “In Seattle, we can sail year round. I can practice in a variety of conditions on Puget Sound as well as Lake Washington.” Former U.S. Youth Champion and Olympic medalist Carl Buchan is one of Wager’s role models. Wager says that Buchan advised him, “If you want to win, it’s not enough to just sail fast, you have to be tough.”

Junior Women’s Championships

I’m sure our many talented young female sailors already know about this, but maybe not all. If any young PNW women out there want to start making waves at the national level, these are good events to apply for and attend if possible. (By the way, let us know if you’re going so we can keep track!)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
March 5, 2019

Bristol, R.I.  – Registration is now open for the U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship and U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship. The U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship for the Leiter Trophy is scheduled for July 8 – 13, 2019, at Richmond Yacht Club (Richmond, Calif.). The U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship for the Ida Lewis Trophy is July 19 – 24, 2019 at the San Diego Yacht Club (San Diego, Calif.). Both of the championships will feature two days of clinic instruction led by US Sailing endorsed high-performance coaches and three days of competitive racing.
 
New fleet additions for the 2019 Championships include a Laser 4.7 fleet for the Leiter and a 29er fleet for the Ida Lewis. Other fleets represented at the regattas are Club 420s and Laser Radials.
 
Ida Lewis has allocated 30 spots for Club 420 registrations and 10 spots for 29ers. Ida Lewis is expected to include up to 80 athletes ages 13-18. 60 spots are allocated for Laser Radial and 4.7 sailors at the Leiter, sailors ages 13-18.
 
“The addition of Laser 4.7’s and 29ers into the existing U.S. Junior Women’s Championship is a great step forward for these events”, recalled Alana Marks, head coach for both championships and past Olympic campaigner. “We are excited to get more competitors on the water while using the Ida Lewis and Leiter regatta structure that works so well. The new fleets will further add camaraderie of the championships”.
 
The C. Thomas Clagett Trust graciously funds the U.S. Junior Women’s Championships.
 
View past winners of the Ida Lewis and Nancy Leiter Clagett Memorial Trophy 

SYC Women on a San Diego Weekend

Sheridan Ferguson PNW sailors around the world, Racing 0 Comment
SYC Women on a San Diego Weekend

By Sheridan Fergusan

Over this past President’s day weekend, the Seattle Yacht Club Women’s team went down to sunny southern California to race in San Diego Yacht Club’s 2nd Women’s Winter Invitational. Lindsay Bergen, Regan Edwards, Naomi Medley, and myself, Sheridan Ferguson raced J22s against some of the top sailors from the US and Mexico. 20 teams competed all told, in fleets of five in the beautiful La Playa Bay. 

We arrived on Friday and were welcomed with a lovely potluck dinner on the dock, reconnecting with friends from last year and finding new ones along the way! Saturday dawned sunny and beautiful, with a nice breeze in the morning filling to solid wind by mid-afternoon. The locals couldn’t stop apologizing for the slightly cooler weather, with the temperature sitting around 60°, but we Seattle girls were thrilled to escape the snow.  

Before the skipper’s meeting we attended a very sailing-focused yoga class for the racers, getting us in the perfect mindset for competition! For the first day of racing we took on all the teams, sailing a total of seven races, and securing a spot in silver fleet for day 2. Our learning curve through the first few races was extreme, as we got accustomed to reach other and the odd race course. A small craft advisory had brought many boats into the bay to anchor, providing a minefield through the course. Laylines were determined less by wind angle and more by an ability to dodge the powerboats swinging on their anchors. 

Masseuses on the dock provided some much needed relaxation between our energy-filled but quick races. A successful first day of racing completed, we were treated to a wonderful meal at the San Diego yacht club, with more opportunity to connect with competitors from all around the country. We called it a night early and were rearing to go after another yoga session Sunday morning, with the first few hours of racing determining who would be going to the finals! 

After three races, we progressed to the petite finals (for silver fleet) and competed through the afternoon alongside the finals (for gold fleet). More wind had filled in for day 2, with gusts to 17 knots, occasionally dropping all the way down to 4 or 5. Much to our luck in the last race of the finals the rain came through, and our southern California competition was entirely thrown off!  In (literally) our element, we pulled out a win to finish off the day, ending up with a 3rd place in silver fleet. 

Sharing a last few drinks with our friends at the awards ceremony we closed out the weekend by watching rainsqualls roll through the packed SDYC marina. A few of the team flew home that night, and Naomi and I begrudgingly hopped a plane to Seattle bright and early Monday morning. All told it was a most successful weekend, many thanks to SDYC for hosting us and for our own Seattle Yacht Club’s endless support of our endeavors! The SYC Women are looking forward to many more regattas in beautiful San Diego!

PNW Laser Youth Sailors On the Move, Abbie Carlson 5th in Leiter Cup and 4.7 North Americans Winner

Kurt Hoehne Dinghy Racing, Laser Sailing, Youth Sailing 0 Comment
PNW Laser Youth Sailors On the Move, Abbie Carlson 5th in Leiter Cup and 4.7 North Americans Winner

All the Pacific Northwest youth activity continues to show impressive results nationally, particularly in the Laser class. There’s so much it’s hard to get it all in, but suffice it to say that there’s a wave of excellent young sailors nationally. Abbie Carlson has found her groove, finishing as the fourth girl in  in the Radial at the US Youth Champs (AnaLucia Clarkson was third), fifth in the Leiter Cup (US Junior Women’s Championship) and winning the 4.7 class at the North Americans sailed from the Alamitos Bay YC in California. Owen Timms has been getting some tips from Isabelle Bertold and has been consistently moving up the boys’ ranks. He finished 12th at the US Youth Champs, 25th in the North Americans (all ages) and won the Radial Class in the WIND Regatta on the Columbia River Gorge.

Here are a few pix from the US Youth Champs, courtesy of US Sailing.

I’m hoping for some more “boots on the ground” reports on the events to spread the word about youth Laser sailing in the PNW. It’s booming. At the WIND regatta, for instance, there were a dozen Radials and an amazing 19 4.7s! Those 4.7 sailors are going to be wicked fast by the time they get to the Radial. PNW adults were in force on the Laser circuits as well, watch for a 1st hand report shortly from Jay Leon from North Americans.

The US Sailing web page dedicated to youth sailing is here.

In the meantime, here’s a report from Cam Hoard, the Seattle YC coach who’s been instrumental in a lot of the success:

US Sailing Youth Championship, hosted by Carolina Yacht Club in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.

Practice Day

Abbie and Owen were able to get out on the water for a practice session on Saturday. It was a hot sunny day on the Atlantic Ocean with the sea breeze the area is known for. We started off in 10 knots and by the end were in 15-20. It was a good preview for the first day of racing.

Day 1

The forecast called for the big sea breeze to fill. Initially the ocean had an offshore breeze, not from the SW as predicted. It wasn’t long before the wind clocked around to the SW sea breeze direction and begin to build. The forecast proved to be spot on, we saw high teens to low twenties consistently.

The steady wind brought with it some big wave chop over a moderate ocean swell. The wind didn’t really oscillate or shift at all, the left side was favored but it was all about hiking and working the boat.  It was the day for the big boys.

Owen was in the front pack, working hard to keep the boat at speed. He had a 9-9-9 on the day, the definition of consistent.

Abbie and Ana were in ‘just get around the course mode.’ Not good racing conditions for the lighter sailors. But they were doing it, even smiling a bit.

Laser Full Rigs and i420s were on the same course, there was a little learning curve for the RC to get the timing right and dealing with two small fleets and one big fleet (radials).

Th High Performance course (cats, skiffs, and boards) had good racing but it was a safety boat day with multiple kids coming off the water with injuries and swallowing some water.

Day 2

Similar day in that we tuned up in a lighter offshore breeze. The RC set up the course as it seemed to be sticking around. Shortly after the start the wind began to lose its grip, by the time the fleet was at the first leeward gate the wind was very light. The sea breeze was starting to slowly build and the RC opted to continue to the race and finish the fleet at the second windward mark. Not a championship level race in my opinion, but our sailors came out of it OK. Abbie and Ana were happy to have lighter conditions.

The sea breeze began to build, but with it being later in the day it wasn’t able to get as windy as the previous day.

The RC was able to run three races again. Owen slipped off his 9s and put up a 18-18-19 for the day, not quite able to find that extra gear to work in to the front pack. Ana had a great last race of the day, rounding the last windward mark in first, but slipped to 3rd on the last run. The overlap of the 420 fleet didn’t do her any favors on that… Ana had a 15-26-3. Abbie also put up a couple good scores, her speed was tough to beat. She had a rough 2nd race of the day, the second beat just had everything going against her, she had a 7-44-11.

Day 3

The forecast had a grim outlook, a stalled front over our race area took the wind away and left us with a threat of serious storms. The RC postponed ashore and was going to be giving updates on the hour. They figured they needed a 4 hour weather window in order to safely run races. The great thing about this club is that they have dozens and dozens of rocking chairs, comfort level was acceptable for waiting onshore. 

It was about 12:45pm when they pulled the plug on the day. I think this surprised a lot of people, they had made it sound like they were willing to wait late into the day. I think it came down to the fact that the wind was too light for racing, and the day was only going to get worse. Storms did eventually roll through, but not until much later. It was a good call. Start time was moved earlier for the final day of racing. 

Day 4

The early start seemed like a good call at first. We got out on the ocean and the offshore wind was 5-8 knots. But as the RC got things in the water and started blowing horns and raising class flags, things began to fall apart. First race was abandoned for all fleets. It was a very low marine layer of thick clouds. As that began to burn off the sea and offshore breeze were fighting. The sailors and I had a good time waiting for wind, but we wanted to get races in. 

The breeze came around to the sea breeze direction and started to come together. It was light but race-able. We were getting up to the cut off time, so it looked like we were only going to get one race in. The radials had a general recall so the RC went for the first black flag of the regatta, time was running out and the full rigs and 420s still needed their shot at a final race. The last start got off and our SYC team closed out their 2018 Youth Champs with a 33 for Owen (worst score of the regatta…), 18 for Ana, and 15 for Abbie.

Results – Full results

12th – Owen Timms

25th – AnaLucia Clarkson (3rd girl)

29th – Abbie Carlson (4th girl)

Our friend and SYC Race Team alum Marcus Huttunen won the regatta! He sailed a very consistent regatta and put himself in a controlling position going into the last race.

This was a stronger showing for the trio compared to last year. In 2017 Owen was 17th, Abbie was 42nd, and Ana was 40th. All three moved up. The mix of conditions kept it interesting, the big boys had their first day and then it was light to moderate the rest of the event.

Cam

Hanne Weaver is Women’s Champ – Again!

Kurt Hoehne Dinghy Racing, Olympics , 0 Comment
Hanne Weaver is Women’s Champ – Again!

Hanne Weaver

It could be something in the air. Or water. Whatever it is, PNW women sailors rock! Of course the Sail Like A Girl gang pedaled (and sailed) their way to victory in the R2AK. But there’s another woman that deserves the spotlight as well, Hanne Weaver. Weaver won the US Singlehanded Women’s Championship sailed at the beginning of the month on Galveston Bay, sailed in Laser Radials.

I caught up with Weaver after the event as she was in Long Beach preparing for the Laser North Americans. Here’s her report:

The conditions were hot and humid. It was always light in the morning until the sea breeze came then it was about 10-15. The last day we didn’t sail due to lack of wind. My key to victory was keeping a consistent score. Having a good start and always the first beat getting to the top mark in the top 10. It’s always friendly competition when competing with someone you’ve sailed with a lot. But when you are on the water there are no friends. 

I am going to keep sailing my Radial. I love it so much. I’m doing the Olympic campaign and right now in Long Beach for NA’s. Then I am going to Worlds and maybe Japan for future events.

My life is pretty much sail, gym, travel. Enjoying every minute of it. I couldn’t ask for a better life! Sadly I’m not as home as I was last year but still training out of Gig Harbor and Seattle when I can. 

Here’s US Sailing’s report:

U.S. Singlehanded Women’s Championship: 
For the second straight year, Weaver proved to be the top eligible Laser Radial sailor in the U.S. Singlehanded Women’s Championship competition. She won by a single point over Lillian Myers (Sarasota, Fla.). Kelly Cole (Charleston, S.C.) took home third place honors over nine races. Weaver and Myers changed leads multiple times throughout the Championship. Ten of the 80 sailors in the Laser Radial event were eligible for this title. Weaver placed seventh overall in the Laser Radial Class Nationals which was won by Ricky Welch (Long Beach, Miss.).

Final Results – Top 5
1. Hanne Weaver, SYC/RVYC, 10-9-7-5-4-2-1-17-10- ; 48T
2. Lillian Myers, GCYSA, 4-10-9-2-5-4-13-16-2- ; 49T
3. Kelly Cole, OCBC, 3-14-12-13-8-10-14-29-22- ; 96T
4. Elizabeth Shanahan, Stamford YC/LYC, 17-8-16-19-11-9-32-37-24- ; 136T
5. Annika Fedde, Ventura YC, 15-21-13-11-11-11-37-35-36- ; 153

I’ll keep tabs on Weaver as she pursues that Olympic spot in arguably the toughest class.

Laser Worlds, J/24 Europeans Success for Northwest Sailors

Kurt Hoehne PNW sailors around the world, Racing , 1 Comment
Laser Worlds, J/24 Europeans Success for Northwest Sailors

It is so fun to applaud the success of Northwest racers when they go out in the world! Over the past week we can claim some more of that success, though to anyone who’s been paying attention it won’t come as surprise.

Bill Symes atop the podium.

Bill Symes of Portland won the Great Grandmaster aged (65+) Radial fleet in the Laser Master Worlds in Split, Croatia. He did it in convincing fashion, winning four of the seven races, including the last three. Those of us who get to race against Symes know how much he contributes to the sport, what great sportsman he is and how ridiculously consistently fast he is. He is extremely deserving of this win!

Al Clark of Vancouver has coached young Vancouver athletes for several years and has been taking aim at the Master Worlds for many years. He won this year’s Standard Grandmaster (55+) division in a hard-fought battle with fellow Canadian Andy Roy.

And then there’s Diedre Webster, also from Vancouver. She was third in the women’s Great Grandmaster (65+) fleet. But wait, she was the only 75+ woman in the fleet, so that pretty much makes her the winner (a hero) of that class!

I hope to get some first-person details to share in the not-so-distant future.

The Laser Masters Worlds is a truly amazing event. Every year, more than 300 “old folks” get together somewhere in the world to race these deceptively simple, physically brutal, little boats. You can hear swearing in several different languages as one side of the course gets hit by a bad shift. To sail a Laser in breeze at any age is a challenge, to do so when your’re 60, 70 or more is amazing! And at the top of these fleets, the level of skill and fitness is absolute tops.

The Master Worlds is my personally favorite regatta. The sportsmanship and camaraderie is tops, the international aspect is remarkable and racing is always top notch. I was particularly pleased to see the number of women racing at the Worlds this year. It seemed to be more than in years past.

Results.

 

J/24 European Championship

 

Whittemore’s Tundra Rose winning US Nationals earlier this year in Seattle.

Keith Whittemore loves sailing J/24s on Tuesdays on Lake Washington. He also loves sailing them in Europe. He’s had a great year, first winning the Nationals here in Seattle in May and last week winning the Europeans in Hungary last week with a remarkable comeback win.

According to Whittemore’s emails to his J/24 compatriots, it was light and shifty conditions. On day 2 (?) he had a rough day, having to fight back from a bad start to finish 7th, suffering a black flag DSQ for the second race of the day and then watching the last race (which he was winning) abandoned. Despite all that, he eventually was able to drop the DSQ and rack up three thirds in the last four races to claim victory. Results.

In the meantime, other Seattle J/24 racers were making their mark at the World Championships in Port Credit, Ontario. Mark Laura’s Baba Louie ended up 7th , Scott Milne with Tremendous Slouch finished 10th and Carl Sheath finished 30th in Suspence.

I’m hoping to share some insights from the competitors themselves in the coming days.

 

Weaver Wins US Women’s Championship!

Kurt Hoehne PNW sailors around the world, Racing 0 Comment
Weaver Wins US Women’s Championship!

Let’s see, Abbie Carlson wins the Leiter Cup (just like Hanne Weaver did a couple years ago) and now Weaver wins the US Singlehanded Women’s Championship! Go PNW! This just came out. I’ll try to get Hanne to give us the lowdown and find some really good photos. In the meantime let us all congratulate our amazing young women sailors!

Please share this, not just with your sailing friends, but your non-sailing friends. The Pacific Northwest remains a hotbed of outstanding dinghy sailors, both men and women. Any young people who are into racing can gain some motivation from these recent successes, and any young person thinking about an exciting and challenging life-long sport should take note! –KMH

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (July 24, 2017) – Following four days of exciting racing in the sparkling waters of Lake Tahoe, Marek Zaleski (Norwalk, Conn.) became the 2017 U.S. Singlehanded Men’s Champion and Hanne Weaver (Seattle, Wash.) became the 2017 U.S. Singlehanded Women’s Champion on Sunday. Held in conjunction with the Laser Class U.S. National Championships and hosted by the Tahoe Yacht Club, the fleets were comprised of experienced and proven singlehanded sailors and an influx of new talented young men and women.

Zaleski’s performance was good enough to claim the overall title out of 43 boats in the Full Rig fleet for the Laser Class U.S. National Championship. Although Jake Vickers was a game competitor all week, Zaleski won five of the seven races and was the clear-cut top performer.

U.S. Singlehanded Men’s Championship: Final Results – Top 5

1. Marek Zaleski, Noroton Yacht Club, 1-5-1-1-1-1-[7]- ; 10

2. Jake Vickers, Severn Sailing Association, 3-[6]-4-2-3-3-1- ; 16

3. Caleb Robinson, Sail Maine, 2-[22]-5-13-5-7-5- ; 37

4. Cameron Feves, Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club, 6-9-8-9-[16]-4-13- ; 49

5. Peter Phelan, Santa Cruz Yacht Club, 7-11-7-6-7-14-[44/DSQ]- ; 52

Complete Standings

“The altitude and the water quality are two things that are different about this venue,” explained Zaleski. “I’m glad I got here early, because I was struggling when working out on my bike and the water is so clear, the Lasers float a little lower in the water, not a huge difference, but it’s noticeable.”

“I am campaigning for the 2020 Olympics non-stop,” said Zaleski. “I have over 200 days on the water since I graduated last year and a lot of time in the gym working on my fitness. So, it’s nice to see good results and that my work  is paying off.”

Weaver won the U.S. Singlehanded Women’s Championship by a 16 point margin over Charlotte Rose. She placed second overall to Chase Carraway out of 55 boats in the Laser Radial fleet.

U.S. Singlehanded Women’s Championship: Final Results – Top 5

1. Hanne Weaver, RVYC, SYC, 3-12-4-2-10-[18]- ; 31

2. Charlotte Rose, Houston Yacht Club / GCYSA, [23]-14-2-4-14-13- ; 47T

3. Kelly Cole, OCBC, 7-13-5-14-[56/OCS]-8- ; 47T

4. Lillian Myers, GCYSP, [18]-11-17-6-6-9- ; 49

5. Annika Fedde, Ventura Yacht Club, 13-26-16-27-9-[39]- ; 91

Complete Standings

“The wind and how it comes off the mountains and spreads out over the lake is the most challenging part of this sailing venue,” explained Weaver. “You really have to keep your head out of the boat.”

The race committee completed three races for the Lasers on Thursday and Friday and three races for the Laser Radials on Thursday and two on Friday. The conditions were similar both days with winds in the 6-10 knot range, primarily from 225° with violent shifts making it difficult to maintain “squareness’ on the inside-outside trapezoid course.

 

Lack of any breeze on Saturday forced the race committee to abandon all racing. Sunday looked like a repeat of Saturday, with a slightly better, yet inconsistent, forecast model. A 10 knot westerly burst through the racing area later in the afternoon. The shifts became radical and inconsistent resulting in a postponement and general recall before getting off the Lasers just seven minutes before the warning signal deadline. The wind was brisk resulting in a shorter than expected race duration for both fleets. They completed an important sixth race for the Radials (allowing for their discard) and a seventh race for the Lasers.

Sailors eligible for the U.S. Singlehanded Sailing Championships in the men’s Laser Full Rig and women’s Laser Radial Fleets must be U.S. citizens and at least turn 17 in the calendar year of 2017. These eligible sailors raced in their respective fleets as part of the Laser Nationals competition.

Prizes were awarded to competitors meeting the eligibility rules for the U.S. Singlehanded Championship:

  • George D. O’Day Trophy to the overall highest placing eligible male in the Laser Full Rig for the U.S. Singlehanded Men’s Championship.
  • Helen Willis Hanley Trophy to the overall highest placing eligible female in the Laser Radial for the U.S. Singlehanded Women’s Championship.
  • US Sailing medals were awarded to the top three positions in each fleet.
  • Peter J. Barrett Sportsmanship Trophy will be awarded and posted by Monday morning.

For complete results and standings and more information about the 2017 U.S. Singlehanded Sailing Championships, please visit the event website.

The 2017 U.S. Singlehanded Championships is sponsored by Gill North America and Hobie Polarized. This US Sailing National Championship is participating in the Sailors for the Sea’s Clean Regattas program.

Abbie Carlson Wins Close Leiter Cup/Junior Women’s Singlehanded Champs

Kurt Hoehne PNW sailors around the world, Racing, Youth Sailing 0 Comment
Abbie Carlson Wins Close Leiter Cup/Junior Women’s Singlehanded Champs

Some press releases are just a lot more fun than others to repost. Seattle Yacht Club Sailing Director Brian Ledbetter clued us into this one. His Seattle Yacht Club race team, and Seattle sailors, continue to establish themselves as a force on the national scene. Brian’s quick to point out that this is the third time SYC women have won the Leiter Cup in recent years, including Hanne Weaver in 2012 and Talia Toland last year. Congratulations Abbie and the support network we know you have!

2017 U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship Comes Down to Final Race

us-junior-womens-single-champ-logo-w-leiter/SHOREACRES, Texas (July 11, 2017) – The 2017 U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship finished as one of most closely contested US Sailing National Championships in recent history on Tuesday. In the end, it was Abbie Carlson (Bellevue, Wash.) who earned first place honors and the Nancy Leiter Clagett Memorial Trophy following a strong showing over three days on Galveston Bay in the Laser Radial. She placed third at last year’s championship in Seattle. For the second straight year, a sailor representing the Seattle Yacht Club has won the Leiter Trophy.

Carlson trailed leader Grace Austin (Greenwich, Conn) by seven points through five races in a very competitive fleet. The first five races of the series were dominated by light wind, but just before the sixth race the seabreeze filled from the Southeast at 8 to 10 knots, providing the best sailing conditions of the week.

Abbie Carlson winning race 1.

Carlson placed fourth in the final race, ahead of her rivals for the overall title. This, combined with the dropped score that came into effect upon the completion of six races, gave Carlson an 11-point turnaround and a four point win over Austin. Marianna Shand (Chula Vista, Calif.) finished third overall and posted the top results in Tuesday’s three races.

The top five sailors on the leaderboard at the conclusion of the championships were separated by only seven points. There were also six different race winners in six races. Due to insufficient wind and stormy conditions, only one race was conducted on Sunday and two races on Monday.

Final Standings – Top 5
1. Abbie Carlson, Seattle Yacht Club, 1-[15]-5-2-8-4- ; 20
2. Grace Austin, Belle Haven Club / LYC, 5-2-2-10-5-[15]- ; 24
3. Marianna Shand, Mission Bay Yacht Club, 9-[27]-9-1-3-3- ; 25
4. AnaLucia Clarkson, Seattle Yacht Club, 13-1-3-3-[20]-6- ; 26
5. Anika Boicheff, St. Petersburg Yacht Club, 3-4-[13]-11-7-2- ; 27
Full Results

“Honestly, I was kind of surprised because everybody was so close in points, so I didn’t find out until I came in,” said Carlson. “It was hard to stay positive during all the postponements, but I stayed focused. It was really shifty today and it wasn’t what I was expecting. Overall, I thought my speed was pretty good on the upwinds and downwinds.”

High-level coaching and skill development is a key component of this championship. Prior to racing, teams took part in a two-day clinic on Friday and Saturday led by a collection of top coaches from around the country.

“One of the things that sets the Leiter Trophy apart from other regattas is the clinic and the US Sailing provided coaches for all competitors,” said John Pearce, Youth Director of US Sailing. “It creates an atmosphere of collaboration and pushes the sailors to focus on building their skills while also striving for a great result in the Championship.”

“Our coaching staff comprised of Head Coach, Richard Feeny, and coaches Elizabeth Kratzig, Scott Ikle, Beka Schiff, and Hannah Tuson-Turner have worked with all of the sailors as a group throughout the event. During the on-shore postponement Monday, Elizabeth presented to the sailors about her career as a sailor, including her current work with the Magenta Project, and other opportunities for women in sailing. It really inspired the sailors to seek out big challenges and leadership roles within the sport.”

“I was really impressed with all the girls and the close racing, especially on the last day,” said Kratzig. “It’s an honor to be here as a coach, especially having participated in this event growing up and now to give something back towards women’s sailing and helping grow the knowledge and enthusiasm of the young female sailors is really exciting. This is a broad spectrum of sailors with varying experience. By bringing them all together it shows everybody that we have a strong contingency of women in sailing and we need to continue to build on that. This event is critical to their development as a sailor.”

The 2017 U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship for the Nancy Leiter Clagett Memorial Trophy was hosted by the Houston Yacht Club.

Clinic Coaches

  • Richard Feeny – US Sailing Junior/Youth National Championships Head Coach
  • Elizabeth Kratzig – Seven-time US Sailing Team member
  • Scott Ikle – Head Coach, Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
  • Hannah Tuson-Turner – Sailing Director, Sail Orcas
  • Beka Schiff – San Diego Yacht Club

Results & Coverage

  • For Twitter updates from the racecourse, results and standings, photos (to come later in the week), final report, and more information from the 2017 U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship, please visit the event website.
  • Take part in the conversation on social media using #Leiter17.

Championship Notes

  • Support of the U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship as well as the clinics associated with the event is made possible by funds provided by the late C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. to perpetuate his unwavering dedication to junior women’s sailing. This support is intended to encourage young American women to enhance their sailing ability, with emphasis on sportsmanship, by providing the opportunity to compete in national-level competition with guidance from high-level coaching. Tom Clagett’s family continues to assist in fulfilling his vision
  • The U.S. Junior Women’s Championships Committee annually hosts two events: a Singlehanded and a Doublehanded championship. Both championships are open events.
  • The U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship started in 1980.

Prizes

  • The Nancy Leiter Clagett Memorial Trophy is the perpetual trophy presented to the winning sailor.
  • US Sailing Championship medals were awarded to competitors who finish first through fifth.
  • Trophies were awarded to competitors finishing in the top three places.
  • The C. Thomas Clagett Jr. Sportsmanship Prize was awarded to a sailor based on the results of the competitors’ ballots. *To be announced at awards ceremony Tuesday night.

Ed. Note: We’ll try to get the story straight from the winner’s mouth, plus hopefully some good photos. 

Margaret Pommert, Force of Nature, Recognized

Kurt Hoehne Community, PNW sailors around the world 0 Comment
Margaret Pommert, Force of Nature, Recognized

Margaret Pommert was just recognized as with the 2020 BoatUS/National Women’s Sailing Association (NWSA) Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award. I’m lucky enough to see her when she stops by the Swiftsure office to plan The Sailing Foundation events with fellow Sailing Foundation stalwart Ryan Helling.

Margaret Pommert

She’s called a force of nature in this release, and no doubt that’s true, but what I see is a sailor dedicated to broadening the appeal of the sport and giving everyone the tools to make it safer, and feel safer.

Earlier this year, she put together the Safety at Sea seminar on Bainbridge Island. Watch this pages in the next few days as I’ll be posting photos from the event to help people get excited for the next seminar!

Here’s the press release from BoatUS:

Margaret Pommert Honored with 2020 BoatUS/NWSA Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award

2020 BoatUS/NWSA Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award honoree Margaret Pommert (left, at helm) with crew competing in the 2016 Pacific Northwest One Design Regatta

Margaret Pommert (left, at helm) with crew competing in the 2016 Pacific Northwest One Design Regatta Jan Anderson

MARBLEHEAD, Mass., May 20, 2020 – Margaret Pommert of Seattle, Washington, has been named recipient of the 2020 BoatUS/National Women’s Sailing Association (NWSA) Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award. The award annually recognizes an individual with a record of achievement in inspiring, educating, and enriching the lives of women through sailing.

“Margaret has been called ‘a force of nature’ for her enthusiasm and effectiveness in getting more women on the water,” said NWSA President Debbie Huntsman. “She encourages women to step up to new responsibilities and to expand their capabilities, confidence, and boating horizons.”

Margaret Pommert

Added Huntsman, “Margaret also has developed impressive, forward-thinking mentoring and online learning opportunities for bringing more women sailors forward as certified instructors and licensed mariners. In doing so, she has truly shown exceptional leadership in women’s sailing and is most deserving of this award.”

A Pacific Northwest native, Pommert is an American Sailing Association and US Sailing certified instructor and holds a 100-ton U.S. Coast Guard Master Captain’s License. For many years, she taught sailing in California on dinghies, keelboats, catamarans and monohulls, and she now teaches at a variety of locations in the Pacific Northwest as well as online. Pommert also works for the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, teaching new keelboat instructors. One of the nation’s largest sailing schools named her 2019 Instructor of the Year.

Beyond instruction, Pommert skippered an all-woman J105 sailing team that twice won a fundraising regatta for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. She was on the only all-woman U.S. team at the 2018 J22 International Midwinter Championship Regatta, co-led a flotilla up the Inside Passage to Alaska five times, sailed a Pacific Crossing, and explored many top cruising destinations. She also writes a monthly column for women sailors in Northwest Yachting magazine, created the free boating education website seattleonthewater.com, and serves on The Sailing Foundation’s Executive Committee where she is the organization’s Offshore Safety at Sea training organizer. Pommert has served as a member of the Washington State Boating Programs Advisory Committee, which provides recommendations on ways to enhance boating safety and evaluates grants on boating access infrastructure.