Author: Catherine Shanahan

Sailors at San Diego US Open Ramp Up for Next Week’s Youth Champs

The San Diego edition of the West Marine US Open Sailing Series wrapped on Sunday after three days of beautiful racing in the Pacific, with 8-10 knots and 3–5-foot sea swell across the weekend. Title Sponsor West Marine and National Sponsors Gill Marine and Gowrie Group are committed to the growth of the series as a domestic training platform looking towards the Olympics.  

The first stop on the West Coast swing, the San Diego event included the ILCA 4, ILCA 6, ILCA7, 470, 29er, Snipe and Finn classes. The event also played host to the 29er National Championship and the U.S. Singlehanded Championship for the O’Day and Hanley Trophies. Thank you to Regatta Craft Mixers and Gill Marine for their support of the U.S. Singlehanded Championship.  

“It was awesome to see the tight racing across all the fleets,” said Circle B PRO Becky Ashburn. “As Race Committee, we were excited to see both seasoned veterans and the future of Olympic classes out on the racecourse this weekend.” 

US Sailing and San Diego Yacht Club thank New England Ropes for the support of the Race Committee operations this weekend.  

29er 

US Sailing’s representatives for Youth Worlds had a banner weekend in the 29er fleet. Brothers Ian and Noah Nyenhuis, who will represent the Men’s 29er, took first place while Sammie Gardner and Alice Schmid, who will represent the Women’s 29er, took second. Miles Julien and Jake Julien took third. 

“It’s nice to have the whole 29er fleet in our hometown,” said second place finishers Sammie Gardner and Alice Schmid. “We don’t usually race against fleets this big, so that experience has been super beneficial before Youth Worlds.” 

ILCA 7  

Fresh off a development camp in Long Beach, sailors from the Olympic Development Program battled for dominance in the ILCA 7 fleet. ODP Sailor Leo Boucher narrowly bested teammate Nick Sessions, taking first by four points. Benjamin Smith, also on the ODP, took third. The top three men in the ILCA 7 were eligible to compete for the George D. O’Day Trophy, the U.S. Singlehanded Championship trophy open to men 17 years and older in the calendar year of the eventU.S. Singlehanded Results  

ILCA 6  

Competition was tough in the event’s largest fleet. Robby Meek, winner of the Ft. Lauderdale event last winter, came in first by six points. US Youth Worlds representative in the Men’s ILCA 6, Peter Barnard, took second while Katherine Doble, US Youth Worlds representative in the Women’s ILCA 6, came in third. 

Helen Hanley Trophy – U.S. Singlehanded Championship trophy open to women 17 years and older in the calendar year of the event in the ILCA 6: Katherine Doble was awarded the Hanley Trophy, while Zoe Ziskind took second and Oakley Cunningham came in third. U.S. Singlehanded Results 

ILCA 4 

French sailor Gilda Dondona ran away with the win in the ILCA 4 class, winning every race but one, which was dropped. Max Brameld took second, while Landon Stahl took third. 

470 

A group from the High-Performance Center at St. Francis Yacht Club comprised the 470 fleet at this event. Kyra Phelan & Dylan Murphy dominated the group, winning every race. Their teammates Brooke Schmelz & Josh Goldberg took second, while Samantha Hemans & Alec Von Kerckhove took third. 

Finn 

The San Diego Finn class showed up in force for this US Open event. Erik Lidecis, a long-time local Finn sailor, took first place with 12 points. Ukrainian Anatolii Nosar took second with 20 points, narrowly besting American Rob Coutts who came in third.   

Snipe 

New in 2022, the Snipe class joined the regatta as they prepare for their National Championship at San Diego Yacht Club next month. Mary Baker and Diana Waterbury took first over long-time Snipe sailors Rick Arneson and Gus Wirth. The youth team of Peter Busch and Cam Spriggs took third.   

This year, sailors from any country competing in Olympic classes in the Olympic configuration are eligible for prize money over three California events, a first in US Sailing history. Athletes are awarded $1,000 for first place, $500 for second and $250 for third. 

2022 US Open Sailing Series West Coast Events 

  • June 17-19: San Diego, California 
  • July 15-17: Long Beach, California 
  • August 12-14: San Francisco, California 

Organized by US Sailing and host yacht clubs at venues in Florida and California, the 6-stage West Marine US Open Sailing Series seeks to fulfill demand for a racing and training platform based in the United States to provide a path to the Olympic Games for prospective athletes. 

Clearwater West Marine US Open Sailing Series Wraps After Three Days of Racing

Quick Links:  

  • See the results  
  • Check out photos from the event (Password: WMUSOSS) 
  • Watch daily recap videos on Facebook 

The Clearwater West Marine US Open Sailing Series concluded Sunday after three days of racing in a variety of conditions. The ILCA 6, ILCA 7, Nacra 15, iQFOiL, and Formula Kite all completed between 8 and 11 races over three days.  

Friday saw champagne conditions, with 12-16 knots from the southwest under sunny skies, while Saturday brought the heat, testing athletes’ endurance in 16-20 knots and five-foot seas. The wind settled down on Sunday, staying light throughout the day, causing racing to be cancelled for the iQFOiL class. All other classes were able to get at least one race completed.  

Well-rounded athletes excelled over the six classes this weekend, making this event a showcase of some of the best Olympic talent in America and beyond.  

“With the West Marine Open Series, we’re trying to build a platform that is an opportunity for all the US Sailors to gain the strength that comes with depth of a national fleet,” said Paul Cayard, Executive Director of US Olympic Sailing.  

iQFOiL Men 

In the iQFOiL Class, local Clearwater stars Noah Lyons and Alex Temko took first and second place, respectively; with Lyons winning by six points. This was a reversal of their finishes at 2021 iQFOiL Nationals, where Temko bested Lyons in a tiebreaker. Finally, US athlete Ethan Froelich of Austin, TX rounded out the podium in third.  

iQFOiL Women 

Mexico’s Demita Vega de Lille finished first in the Women’s iQFOiL, winning the class handily with a lead of 12 points over second place finisher Bryn Muller (USA). US Sailing Olympic Development Program athlete Dominique Stater took third with a total of 22 points.  

iQFOiL U19 

The iQFOiL U19 class saw a strong showing from the Hawaiian delegation this weekend. Manihi’I Pahuatini, of KYC Windclub Hawaii, took first place with 13 points, while teammate Makani Andrews took third with 20 points. Clearwater Community Sailing Center local Garrett January came in second with 18 points.  

Formula Kite 

In it’s first appearance at the 2022 US Open series, the Formula Kite class was dominated by Paris 2024 hopeful Markus Edegran, finishing first with a total of 10 points. Californian Kai Calder took second, while Antiguan Tiger Tyson rounded out the podium in third.  

Nacra 15 

This year’s event served as the Nacra 15 class’s sole qualifier for 2022 Youth Worlds in The Hauge, The Netherlands. Qualifying for the USA was Dorothy Mendelblatt and Ian Iles-Lee, with a total of 16 points. Cody Roe and Matthew St. Romain (USA) took second, while Elizabeth Frost and Bryan Pan (USA) came in third after a total of eight races.  

“It was a stressful day, but we pulled through and we got it,” said Iles-Lee. “Tough conditions to sail in for sure. But we’re very excited to represent our country at Youth Worlds!” 

ILCA 6 

In the ILCA 6 class, US Sailing ODP athlete Christina Sakellaris commanded the fleet, taking first place with a total of only nine points. US Sailing Team member Charlotte Rose came in second with 17 points, and Coralie Vittecoq of Canada took third with 24 points. This event was the first of two qualifiers for 2022 Youth Worlds in the ILCA 6 class. Peter Barnard and Katharine Doble finished on top of the U19 category ahead of the Laser Midwinters West in March.  

ILCA 7 

The Canadians came out on top of the ILCA 7 class this weekend, with Tokyo Olympian Tom Ramshaw taking first with 12 points, followed closely by national teammate Fillah Karim in second with 15 points. US Sailing ODP athlete Leo Boucher rounded out the podium in third with a total of 20 points.  

This year, sailors from the United States competing in Olympic classes are eligible for prize money over the three Florida and three California events; a first in US Sailing history. Athletes are awarded $1000 for first place, $500 for second and $250 for third. Ten US athletes took home $5,750 of prize money in Clearwater this weekend.  

US Sailing would like to thank Baystar Restaurant Group, Sail Life Clearwater, the City of Clearwater, Clearwater Yacht Club, Clearwater Community Sailing Center, Dunedin Boat Club, Advent Health, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Dark Horse Marine, and Freedom Boat Club for their support of this event. Events like these wouldn’t be possible without their generous support.

Clearwater marks the end of the Series Florida tour. The California events kick off this summer, starting with the West Marine US Open Sailing Series – San Diego, June 17-19. It is followed by Long Beach, July 15-17, and San Francisco, August 12-14. Registration for these events will open soon. 

West Marine US Open Series Florida Tour Culminates in Clearwater

Clearwater, FL (February 2, 2022) – The last stop on the Florida edition  of the West Marine US Open Sailing Series begins this week, February 4 through 6, in Clearwater, Florida. Hosted by Clearwater Yacht Club, Clearwater Community Sailing Center, Sail Life, LLC, City of Clearwater & presented by Baystar Restaurant Group, the Clearwater event features the ILCA 6, ILCA 7, Nacra 15, iQFoil, and Formula Kite classes.

“Clearwater Yacht Club is thrilled to be part of the 2022 US Open Series, welcoming officials and competitors from around the world to beautiful Clearwater, FL,” said Yachting Chair Kelley Lesperance. “Our members look forward to continuing the Clearwater Yacht Club tradition of providing support to world class events such as these.”

Stakes are high at this year’s Clearwater US Open event. It is the only Youth Worlds qualifier in the Nacra 15, and the first of two Youth Worlds qualifiers for the ILCA 6 and iQFoil. Nine Nacra 15 sailors will go head-to-head in their one chance to represent the USA at 2022 Youth Worlds in the Netherlands.

In total, 166 sailors will descend on Clearwater for three days of high-caliber racing. The Clearwater area has been the training ground for several high-level racers, including many members of the iQFoil class. First and second place finishers at the 2021 iQFoil US Nationals, Noah Lyons and Alexander Temko, both train out of the Clearwater Community Sailing Center and will be fighting for the podium this weekend.

New this year, sailors from the United States competing in Olympic classes will be eligible for prize money over the three Florida and three California events. Athletes will vie for $1000 for first place, $500 for second, and $250 for third, helping them fund their sailing ambitions.

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Conditions Deliver for Final Day of West Marine US Open Sailing Series Miami

The Open 470 class on the starting line of the West Marine US Open Sailing Series – Miami. US Sailing Team / Allison Chenard

Quick Links: 

Racing at the Miami West Marine US Open Sailing Series concluded Sunday with strong winds and even stronger racing across all classes. Biscayne Bay greeted competitors with a 12-15 knot northwest breeze. Though challenging, it was a welcome change from wind delays on Friday and Saturday. 

“While racing was light the rest of the regatta, today was gorgeous racing,” said 49er and 49erFX PRO Lynn Lynch. “The shore breeze was shifty, but after a few tweaks here and there, we got the marks in we were able to run four good races.”  

 49erFX Class 

 The FX class was dominated by Canadian teams, with Tokyo Olympians Ali Tenhove and Mariah Millen taking first place. Teammates Georgia Lewin-LaFrance and Galen Richardson (CAN) came in second and Audrey Staples and Marion LaFrance-Berger (CAN) finished third.  

“This was one of our first regattas after Tokyo, so we were focused on checking off our goals and learning as much as we can,” said Tenhove.  

49er Class 

US Sailing Team members Ian Barrows and Hans Henken came out on top in the 49er fleet with an impressive score line, finishing first in all but one race. Canadians Arie Moffat and Sam Bonin came in second, with a one-point lead over third place finishers Nevin Snow and Duncan Williford (USA).  

Open 470 Class 

In the 470 class, Americans Luisa Nordstrom and Trevor Bornarth made a clean sweep, finishing first in all nine races of the event. Winning the tiebreak for second place was Americans Kyra Phelan and Sawyer Bastian, with 22 points. Alec van Kerckhove and Dylan Murphy (USA) rounded out the podium in third.   

Nacra 17 

Even with only four competitors in the Nacra 17 class, racing was tight and tactical. US Sailing Team athletes Sarah Newbury Moore and David Liebenberg, who are campaigning for Paris 2024, came in first with 8 points. Carson Crain and Caroline Atwood (USA) came in second, while Ben Rosenberg and Cali Salinas (USA) took third.   

Men’s iQFoil  

Fresh off the last summer Games, US Sailing Team athlete Pedro Pascual won nearly every race of the weekend, finishing with a total of nine points. Olympic Development Program athlete Alexander Temko finished in second with 12 total points. 

“Competition and conditions were tough, but I was able to focus on tactics and stay in the pressure,” said Pascual. “I’m looking forward to another great event at the US Open in Clearwater next weekend!”  

Women’s iQFoil & Open Windfoil 

The Women’s iQFoil and Open Windfoil classes were raced together on the iQFoil circle. ODP athlete Dominique Stater took first in the Women’s iQFoil, narrowly beating Bryn Muller, the US representative at the last Jr. Pan Am Games. American sailors JP Lattanzi and Garrett January took first and second place in the Open Windfoil, respectively. 

Finn Class 

Long-time participants in the Miami Olympic Class Regatta, the Finn class saw nine boats competing this weekend. After eight races, Miami local Rodion Mazin took first place with ten points. Peter Frissell took second and John Dane III rounded out the podium in third.  

The West Marine US Open Sailing Series continues in Clearwater Feb. 3-6. Competitors in the ILCA 6, ILCA 7, Nacra 15, iQFoil, Formula Kite will go head-to-head in the last Series stop before the West Coast regattas. Clearwater is one of a two-part qualifying series for Youth Worlds in the ILCA 6, Nacra 15 and iQFoil classes. Registration is still open: https://ocr.ussailing.org/florida-ocrs/ 

West Marine US Open Series Heads to Miami

MIAMI, FL (January 20) – The second stop West Marine US Open Sailing Series opens this weekend, January 21-23, at US Sailing Center Miami. Current and former Olympic class boats will be on display, including 49er, 49erFX, Open 470, Nacra 17, iQFoil, Open Windfoil, and Finn. 58 sailors from six countries will be represented across the seven classes.

Miami is the longest standing Olympic-class regatta in the country and an important stop on the Olympic-class circuit. Over the years, event organizers have collaborated with US Sailing to host international regattas such as Miami Olympic Class Regatta (OCR) and World Cup Series Miami.

This year, sailors from the United States competing in Olympic classes will be eligible for prize money over the three Florida and three California events; a first in US Sailing history. Athletes are awarded for $1000 for first place, $500 for second and $250 for third.

The US Open Sailing Series is a set of six Olympic class regattas at popular sailing venues across Florida and California. The Series serves as a domestic training platform and provides solid annual racing opportunities for prospective Olympic-bound athletes.

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Each regatta will follow local guidance and ordinances regarding COVID protocols. Protocols are to be followed by competitors, race officials and event attendees. The health and safety of athletes, race officials and volunteers is US Sailing’s number one priority. 

McCann, Meek, and Casellas Take First at West Marine US Open Sailing Series Ft. Lauderdale  

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (January 17) – The first event of the West Marine US Open Sailing Series wrapped today, completing six races in a wide range of conditions. Lauderdale Yacht Club welcomed 135 sailors in the three ILCA classes – ILCA 4, 6, and 7.

Only two races sailed on Sunday after a  morning postponement due to light winds. Racing was then cancelled on Sunday due to a squall line passing through the area. Monday’s racing saw a 12-17 knot shifty shore breeze.

Roger Casellas (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico), winner of the ILCA 4 fleet, had a banner event, winning his division by 17 points with a score line of 2-1-3-1-3 (9). Isabella Mendoza Cabezas (Key Biscayne, FL) took second and Alfonso Lanseros (Key Biscayne, FL) came in third.

Winner of the ILCA 6 fleet, Robby Meek (Annapolis, MD), started off strong on Saturday with a 1-2 score line. After a mid-fleet race to begin Monday, he was able to grind back and secure first place overall. US Sailing Team ODP sailors Christina Sakellaris (Milton, MA) and Charlotte Rose (Houston, TX) took second and third, respectively.

“The conditions were super tricky, but I’m happy with my results,” said Meek. “I was glad that we were able to get four good races off in the breeze today.”

Marshall McCann (Miami, FL), a member of the US Sailing Team ODP, took first place in the ILCA 7 fleet after a weekend of tight racing at the top of the pack. Tom Ramshaw (Toronto, Can.) took second and Leo Boucher (Annapolis, MD) took third.

“The fleet was so close it wasn’t until the last race that I knew I was in contention for first place,” said McCann. “I went out, sailed my own race, and kept it simple.”

As podium finishing American sailors in Olympic Classes, Meek, McCann, Boucher, Rose and Sakellaris were awarded prize grants – $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $250 for third.

“It’s great to see some of the best sailors in the country, but it’s even better to see the developing sailors who were yesterday’s Optimists champions realizing how much more of a path lies ahead,” said Regatta Co-Chair Bob Meagher. “We’re happy that US Sailing and West Marine continue to make that path easier for them with the Series events.”

The series continues this month with the West Marine US Open Sailing Series Miami, featuring many of the Olympic Classes, including the 49er, Nacra 17, and 470; and the WMUSOSS Clearwater, featuring formula Kites, iQFoil and the ILCA classes.

Photos from the event can be found online and accessed with the password “WMUSOSS.”

 

About the West Marine US Open Sailing Series 

The West Marine US Open Sailing Series serves as a domestic training platform and provides solid annual racing opportunities for prospective Olympic-bound athletes and one design racers.  

US Sailing and the larger community of sailors in the U.S. identified a demand for a racing and training platform based in the United States that serves to provide a runway to the Olympic Games for prospective athletes. With the 2028 LA Olympics on the distant horizon, it was essential for US Sailing to establish a consistent and predictable cycle for athletes to plan for on an annual basis.   

This series of regattas allows US Sailing to provide more support for sailors at these events through advanced and in-person coaching, training, and data collection. The series is an important part of the training plans for young sailors participating as part of the Olympic Development Program (ODP), a US Sailing initiative supported by the AmericaOne Foundation that provides world-class coaching support to promising American youth sailors competing in high-performance classes.   

About West Marine 

For more than 50 years, West Marine has been the premier retailer of boating, fishing, sailing and paddling gear. With 236 stores located in 38 states and Puerto Rico and an eCommerce website reaching domestic, international and professional customers, West Marine is recognized as a leading resource for cruisers, sailors, anglers and paddlesports enthusiasts. West Marine crew members share the same love for the water as our customers and provide helpful advice on the gear and gadgets they need to be safe and have fun. 

 

2022 West Marine US Open Sailing Series Kicks Off in Ft. Lauderdale

US Sailing and Lauderdale Yacht Club will welcome 133 competitors in the ILCA classes January 15 -17 for the first stop on the 2022 West Marine US Open Sailing Series. First sailed in 2021, the series was created to fill the demand for a high-level domestic training platform geared towards prospective Olympic hopefuls.  

The Lauderdale event features sailors from North America and the Caribbean, with six countries represented including the United States – the US Virgin Islands, Canada, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and the Cayman Islands will bring their all this weekend.  

“We are so excited to have the ILCA class back at Lauderdale Yacht Club for the second West Marine US Open Series,” said Commodore Stephanie Toothaker. “LYC has hosted numerous Olympic class regattas in the past and look forward to making this another successful event.” 

Among the registrants are many top finishers from the 2021 Orange Bowl Youth Regatta, like Robby Meek of Annapolis, MD who finished first overall in the ILCA 6 class; and Guthrie Braun, of St. Petersburg, FL, third in the ILCA 7 class.  

Top US Sailing Team and Olympic Development athletes will be competing in Fort Lauderdale. Charlotte Rose, a member of the ILCA 6 (Radial) squad and Leo Boucher of the ILCA 7 (Full) are competing in the event fresh off the Jr. Pan Am Games and the team’s first training camp of 2022.  

The Canadian Olympic team will also be represented this weekend by Tokyo 2020 Olympian Sarah Douglass, who is competing in the ILCA 6 class. Douglass placed sixth at the games in the Laser Radial.  

New this year, sailors from the United States competing in Olympic classes will be eligible for prize money over the three Florida and three California events. Athletes will vie for $1000 for first place, $500 for second and $250 for third.  

 Follow the Racing: 

  • Regatta News & Coverage: Visit the official West Marine US Open Sailing Series site for news, results & standings, photos & videos, and regatta information.  
  • Social Media: Follow US Sailing and the US Sailing Team on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for news and highlights from the racecourse.  
  • Join the Conversation: Use hashtag – #USOpenSailing in your social media posts.  
  • Entry List: Click here to find out who is racing this week in the three ILCA events.  
  • Racing Specifics: The racing area shall be in the Atlantic Ocean approximately one mile north or south of the Port Everglades Channel Entrance. The first warning signal for racing each day is 1100 hours (11am ET).  

Each regatta will follow local guidance and ordinances regarding COVID protocols. Protocols are to be followed by competitors, race officials and event attendees. The health and safety of athletes, race officials and volunteers is US Sailing’s number one priority. 

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