Event Recap: 2024 U.S. Youth Championship Presented by Southcoast Wind 

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The 2024 U.S. Youth Championship Presented by Southcoast Wind at Roger Williams University was a thrilling event held in the picturesque waters of Bristol, Rhode Island. Over three days, the nation’s top young sailors competed fiercely, showcasing their skills and sportsmanship across five classes. 

Conditions varied throughout the event, providing the sailors with a range to showcase their well-rounded aptitude. The championship kicked off with an opening ceremony that set an enthusiastic tone for the event. 

Day one saw heavy winds and chop, challenging the sailors’ abilities to adapt and strategize. The doublehanded classes took center stage, with several crews demonstrating exceptional teamwork and tactical prowess. The shifting conditions tested the sailors’ versatility and resilience, leading to some surprising upsets and thrilling comebacks.  

As the championship moved into its penultimate day, the competition intensified. The standings remained tight across all classes, with the top sailors jostling for position. Spectators were treated to dramatic moments, including a few photo finishes and strategic maneuvers that showcased the sailors’ advanced skills and quick thinking. 

The final day was marked by challenging light breeze, demonstrating the race committee’s ability to skillfully set a course and forcing the competitors to be patient and tactful in their approach.  

The awards ceremony celebrated the hard work and achievements of all participants. The following sailors were crowned champions in their respective classes: 

      • ILCA 6 
          • 1st place: William Baker, Lakewood Yacht Club, GCYSA 
          • 2nd place: James Pine, South Carolina Yacht Club 
          • 3rd place: Nathan Pine, South Carolina Yacht Club 
      • ILCA 7 
          • 1st place: Connor McHugh, Barclay Sailing / Lauderdale Yacht Club / 73 Sailing / LEHYC
          • 2nd place: Charlie Gish, Lake Forest Sailing, LYC 
          • 3rd place: Callen Burnett, St Petersburg Yacht Club 
      • Nacra 15 
          • 1st place: Connor Mertz + Brooke Mertz, Lauderdale Yacht Club 
          • 2nd place: Cody Roe + KJ Hill, Lauderdale Yacht Club 
          • 3rd place: Dylan Tomko + Casey Small, HYC 
      • International 420 
          • 1st place: Helena Borcherding + Genevieve Schmidt, LISOT / Belle Haven Club / US Sailing Center Martin County *all female team 
          • 2nd place: Glen Foster + Pierpaolo Baldassari, AYC / KBYC 
          • 3rd place: Leo Robillard + Gavin Murphy, HPC / St Francis Yacht Club  
      • 29er 
          • 1st place: Tyler Lamm + Andrew Lamm, ASP 
          • 2nd place: Kevin Cason + Holland Vierling, San Diego Yacht Club 
          • 3rd place: Callum Ruch + Nicole Otton, ABYC / RCYC *first year racing in Youth Champs 

In the Nacra 15 class, the Mertz pair returned to win this year, after placing second in 2023. “It was exciting and fun racing,” commented Connor Mertz. Next up is training for Worlds in October. “We have come a pretty long way,” noted Brooke Mertz. “Because for our first regatta, we had Worlds together and we didn’t do the best but now we came back and I feel like we have done pretty well so far.”  

The Lamm brothers came out on top in the 29er fleet. “It feels amazing,” reflected one brother. “Super great regatta and we are both super excited. A lot of fun and a lot of great memories.” The other chimed in regarding the weather. “Great wind conditions,” he pointed out. “Just about all that we could ask for!” In speaking to their performance, they shared that they have put in time preparing, homing in by “training the last two weeks for this regatta.” They began their training in Toms River, New Jersey and arrived in Bristol a week early. They noted that staying in the dorms at Roger Williams during the week leading up to the event was “a cool experience” that allowed them to train in a variety of conditions. This proved to be beneficial in the range of wind present during the regatta, allowing the brothers to come out on top. Next, they head to Cape Cod for the New England C420 Championship, with a packed calendar of racing ahead this summer in multiple different classes.  

The ILCA 6 fleet was the largest in the regatta with a total of 83 boats, leading to daily fleet splits. William Baker came out on top in his 4th appearance at Youth Champs after placing 5th in 2023. “I feel like I’ve earned it,” he reflected on his win. Baker’s eyes are set on coming back next year to defend his title, but plans to move up to the ILCA 7 fleet. He looks forward to new competition in a different class at “a whole new level.” Next, he heads to the Youth Match Racing Championship at the Corinthian Yacht Club this week, hoping to go back-to-back with championship titles.  

An event of this scale would not be possible without the team at US Sailing that puts countless hours into making regattas happen. “2024 Youth Champs was a great event,” shared John Pearce, US Sailing’s Youth Racing Manager. “Thanks to Southcoast Wind, Polar Seltzer, and Gill for being amazing sponsors.” Pearce also pointed out what many of the sailors did as well, commenting on the wide variety of wind conditions. He was thrilled to share that each fleet completed 7 or 8 races.  

“We had excellent competition across the board,” he shared. “It was exciting to see the growth in the ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 fleets. In the doublehanded classes, it was fun to see the fast high-performance boats.”  

New this year, US Sailing invited sailors to arrive on site early to train prior to the event for five days at Roger Williams University as an open training period. The large group of sailors and coaches were able to experience great conditions in the sea breeze in Bristol, taking full advantage of the training period to better prepare themselves for the regatta. 

For full results click HERE