Watch the racing this week on Facebook Live
LA SALLE, Mich. (August 8, 2018) – The North Cape Yacht Club and the greater La Salle, Michigan community, located south of Detroit, have welcomed the 93 youth sailors to their spectacular venue situated on the west end of Lake Erie for the 2018 Chubb U.S. Junior Sailing Championships. US Sailing’s oldest championship will feature three days of racing for the historic Sears Cup, Bemis Trophy and Smythe Trophy this Wednesday, August 8 through Friday, August 10.
These highly-skilled young sailors representing their home yacht club or local sailing organization are eager to test themselves against their peers from around the country in single-, double-, and triplehanded competition.
First sailed in 1921, sailors compete regionally to earn an opportunity to race at this championship in one of three fleets. Competing sailors range in age between 13 and 18. Each Area is eligible to send at least one sailor/team to compete in each of the fleets for the 2018 event:
- U.S. Junior Singlehanded Championship for the Smythe Trophy to be sailed in the Laser Radial.
- U.S. Junior Doublehanded Championship for the Bemis Trophy to be sailed in the Club 420.
- U.S. Junior Triplehanded Championship for the Sears Cup to be sailed in the Lightning.
- List of Competitors
The top three eligible athletes in the singlehanded fleet will receive early acceptance to the 2019 U.S. Youth Championships.
Sailors took part in onshore and on-water clinics with a collection of top coaches from around the country on Tuesday, August 7 to hone their skills and acclimate themselves to the racing conditions and the boats. Included in this year’s line-up of coaches is 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist and four-time Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, Anna Tunnicliffe Tobias.
The following coaches are on site working with the sailors throughout the championship:
- Anna Tunnicliffe Tobias – 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist, Laser Radial
- Amanda Clark – 2012 and 2008 Olympian, Women’s 470
- Richard Feeny – Head Coach, US Sailing Junior and Youth National Championships
- Alana O’Reilly Marks – 2006 Quantum ICSA Women’s Sailor of the Year
- Scott Ikle – Head Coach, Hobart & William Smith
- Cappy Capper – US Sailing Master Trainer
“This Championship is very unique in that there is representation from every part of the country, across three sailing disciplines,” said John Pearce, Youth Director of US Sailing. “These sailors have earned the right to represent their region and the opportunity to learn from a world-class team of coaches. Our team of US Sailing-provided fleet coaches is another aspect of this event that sets it apart from most youth regattas.”
Sailors will be racing in the open waters of Lake Erie, approximately due east of North Cape Yacht Club.
Event Coverage & Social Media
- Facebook Live – We will be live streaming the racing periodically throughout the championship (Wednesday through Friday). Follow US Sailing on Facebook for live streaming schedule.
- For results and standings, photo gallery, and more information from the 2018 Chubb U.S. Junior Sailing Championships, please visit the event website.
- For breaking news and race results, follow Twitter hashtag – #ChubbChamps18 – and participate in the conversation throughout the championship on all social media platforms.
- Previous Winners – A long and distinguished list of past winners who advanced their sailing to the highest levels of national and international competition.
Sportsmanship and Seamanship Awards
- Singlehanded – Faye Bennet Sportsmanship Award
- Doublehanded – Bemis Sportsmanship Award
- Triplehanded – Cox Sportsmanship Award
- 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.
This event is sponsored by Chubb Insurance Group and Gill North America. Chubb, a long-time supporter of this championship and youth sailing, has been title sponsor of the U.S. Junior Sailing Championships for over a decade.
US Sailing Media Contact: Jake Fish, Communications Manager, communications@ussailing.org
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. 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 Gill North America
Gill was an idea born on the water. In 1975 our founder, Nick Gill, was a keen sailor who utilised his father’s factory in Nottingham to begin production of truly capable sailing apparel. Kit that could be both protective and comfortable. We develop and test all our garments and we’ve grown to become one of the leading marine apparel brands in the world. We’ve equipped round-the-world teams when they’ve won prestigious ocean races, as well as Olympians to get them on the podium. Inspired by our nautical heritage we’ve also developed lifestyle clothing that can be worn anywhere, but which is still engineered with a marine pedigree. Today our garments utilise a range of cutting-edge technologies, from Activated Carbon baselayers to SuperFabric™, the most abrasive-resistant fabric in the world. At sea, saltwater comes at you from everywhere, so our clothing is tested in-house and on the water to withstand the very worst.
That means whatever environment you find yourself in – sea, shore or inland – we’ve already engineered the kit to perform for you. Contact: Tim DeWitt, Sales & Marketing Associate at tim.dewitt@gillna.com or 678-730-5597.