Chubb U.S. Junior Championships – Day 2 Report

by

Chubb14 ByteCII_D2

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (August 7, 2014) – The light breeze on West Grand Traverse Bay may have forced another early postponement this morning, but it did not slow down the 93 sailors competing on day two of the 2014 Chubb U.S. Junior Championships, hosted by Grand Traverse Yacht Club (GTYC) and Traverse Bay Community Sailing (TBCS).

U.S. Junior Singlehanded Championships – Smythe Trophy
Henry Marshall (Newton, Mass.) continued to distance himself from the 20-boat Byte CII fleet through seven races. He won two of three races to take an 11-point lead.Chubb14 420 D2

U.S. Junior Doublehanded Championship – Bemis Trophy
It was another stellar day on the water for Cassie Obel (Marina del Rey, Calif.) and Annika Garrett (Culver City, Calif.) who have a seven-point lead over Augie Dale (Pewaukee, Wis.) and Gavin Burkhart (Sussex, Wis.) in the 20-boat Club 420 fleet through three more races today.

U.S. Junior Triplehanded Championship – Sears Cup
Liam McCarthy (St. Petersburg, Fla.), Josh Dochoda (St. Petersburg, Fla.), and Greiner Hobbs (Tampa, Fla.) are hanging on to a five-point lead in the 11-boat Interlake fleet through 10 races. They lead Hugh MacGillivray (Portsmouth, R.I.), Peter Barlow (Warren, R.I.), and Nicholas Sertl (Rochester, N.Y.).

Results & StandingsChubb14 Interlake D2

Quotes of the Day

Frank Ustach, Chubb U.S. Junior Championship Chair:

  • On the developmental component of the event – “I think we are peaking in terms of competition. It’s been a feeder event for the Youth Championships, which will only increase the interest and participation. It’s a unique event in that you can fly here and not bring any equipment. Boats are relatively new and even, so you don’t have to rotate. On the triplehanded side, you get to sail some unique boats like the Interlake here in Traverse City. The biggest metamorphosis is how the Olympic Team and Developement Program is really trying to focus on all levels of junior sailing to bring the feeder program into it. This event is a big part of it and when you look at the results here, the names you see are U.S. Olympians, World Champions, it’s a prestigious list.”
  • On this year’s venue – “This is a small, member-run club that has rallied around the cause. We’ve seen local press and publicity, so community has also rallied around us. We approached Cappy Capper about hosting this event here, because it is such a beautiful sailing venue. The membership here has really come together to help on all fronts.”
  • On his experience at this championship – “I competed in this championship as a kid and later on I served as US Sailing’s Junior National Coach. For the last two years, I volunteered as National Chair for the Chubb U.S. Junior Championships. This entails helping the regional and area directors organize the regional qualifiers. I help them find certified race officers and judges and scout future event sites for this championship. I also coordinate with the host event chairs and the host city.”
  • On next year’s event at Wianno Yacht Club in Osterville, Mass. – “It’s a great sailing venue out on the bay. They get typical, amazing sea breazes – 12 to 18 knots regularly out of the south, southwest. Richard Feeny, the US Sailings Junior National Coach, is a member there. We expect typical, beautiful Cape Cod, Buzzard Bay like conditions.”

Today’s Conditions
Light conditions forced another early postponement this morning. Following the postponement, wind picked up slightly to 3-5 knots from 310 and no chop. The wind shifted later in the afternoon and built up to 8-10 knots.

What is on the Line?
There are 2015 U.S. Youth Championship implications on the line this week. The top two single- and doublehanded teams not already qualified and finishing in the top 30% of competitors will receive early acceptance to the 2015 U.S. Youth Championships in a doublehanded boat of their choice. Teams must apply for the 2015 U.S. Youth Championship to be eligible.

Media & Coverage

  • For results, standings, video highlights from Chris Love, photos, Twitter updates, and more information on the 2014 Chubb U.S. Junior Championships, please visit the event website.
  • For breaking news and race results, follow us on Twitter @USSailing. Use Twitter hashtag – #ChubbJrChamps14 – to participate in the conversation throughout the championship.

Racing Course & Venue

  • The first warning signal is 10:00 am CT through Friday.
  • The sailing area for the Singlehanded and Doublehanded disciplines is off GTYC in the Southern part of West Grand Traverse Bay.
  • The sailing area for the Triplehanded discipline is off the Elmwood Township Marina in the Northern portion of the foot of West Grand Traverse Bay.
  • The Singlehanded and Doublehanded disciplines sail a trapezoid course.
  • The Triplehanded discipline sail a windward/leeward course.
  • Spectator boats may be available via sign-up at GTYC.

Scoring

  • When six or more races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score.
  • Ten races are scheduled for the Singlehanded and Doublehanded disciplines.
  • Eleven races are scheduled for the Triplehanded discipline.

Prizes

  • US Sailing Championship medals will be awarded to competitors who finish first through third.
  • Singlehanded — The Smythe Trophy is the perpetual trophy presented to the winner.
  • Doublehanded — The F. Gregg Bemis Trophy is the perpetual trophy presented to the winning team.
  • Triplehanded — The Sears Cup is the perpetual trophy presented to the winning team. The Judges Trophy will be awarded to the second place team.
  • Sportsmanship Awards — Faye Bennet Sportsmanship Award (Singlehanded), Bemis Sportsmanship Award (Doublehanded), Cox Sportsmanship Award (Triplehanded).
  • The Seamanship Trophy will be awarded to the Triplehanded Team that receives the greatest number of points for neatness and general ship-shape condition of their boats as per USJRSC Condition 7.

The 2014 Chubb U.S. Junior Championships are sponsored by Chubb Insurance Group, Zim Sailing, and Gill North America. The Championship is a Sailors for the Sea – Clean Regattas certification event.

*Photos by JH Peterson.

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 Chubb Group of Insurance Companies
Member insurers of the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies form a multi-billion-dollar organization providing property and casualty insurance for personal and commercial customers through 4,000 independent agents and brokers worldwide. Since its founding in the seaport district of New York City in 1882, Chubb has been a leading insurer of marine-related operations. Chubb provides comprehensive insurance and loss control services to private yacht clubs, marina operators and yacht owners. Chubb’s global network includes branches and affiliates throughout North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Australia. More information on Chubb may be obtained at www.chubb.com.

About Zim Sailing
Zim Sailing, headquartered in Warren, RI is the fastest growing manufacturer of one-design sailboats in North America. Currently, Zim manufactures and distributes the most comprehensive line of training, recreational and performance sailboats in North America. Zim is best known for its C420, Optimist, Byte CII and CFJ. The durability of Zim boats has been proven at all levels to include High Schools, Colleges, Yacht Clubs, and Community Sailing Centers along with the passionate dinghy sailor. In addition, the Zim performance has elevated sailors to podium finishes at several local, regional, National and North American championships since the company’s creation in 2008. Zim is dedicated to the success and growth of dinghy sailing and Zim’s experienced staff and support vehicles can be found at many regattas. For more information please visit www.zimsailing.com or email info@zimsailing.com.

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.