MENTOR, Ohio (July 25, 2018) – Mentor Harbor Yachting Club (MHYC) will host the 2018 U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship for the Ida Lewis Trophy this week. The event begins with two full-day clinics on Wednesday and Thursday, July 25-26, with nationally recognized coaches, followed by three days of intense competition in the Club 420 on Lake Erie this Friday through Sunday, July 27-29.
Forty teams are set for racing at this annual US Sailing National Championship for young women, age 13-18. There are local teams present this week in Mentor, including 12 young sailors representing Ohio’s best in junior sailing: Mentor Harbor Yachting Club, Hoover Sailing Club, Cleveland Yacht Club, and Edgewater Yacht Club.
“We are honored to host this prestigious event and welcome these competitive young women and their families to the Club,” said MHYC Commodore John Rampe.
US Sailing Championship head coach Richard Feeny is bringing a stellar cast of coaches to work with the junior sailors:
- Scott Ikle (Head Coach, Hobart and William Smith Colleges)
- Beka Schiff (2016 Hobbs Trophy Winner – Sportsman of the Year)
- Amanda Callahan (Head Coach, Roger Williams University)
- Alana O’Reilly Marks (2006 Quantum ICSA Women’s Sailor of the Year)
- Dillon Paiva (Assistant Coach, US Naval Academy)
- Brian Clancy (Head Coach, Cornell University)
- Arielle Darrow (2020 Olympic Campaigner)
As part of the event, MHYC is showcasing their community to the sailors and their families. The young women will tour the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame followed by a dinner excursion in Cleveland. Sailors will enjoy a Lake Erie beach luau, Shrimpfest, sunset yoga, and Italian feast after racing each day.
News & Coverage:
- Local media are welcome to cover the event on location at MHYC. Action shots of sailing on Lake Erie will be viewable from a press boat typically between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., so please plan accordingly and request a time with MHYC by contacting the regatta chair, Kathy Allyn. Coaches and sailors will be on land, in or near the Clubhouse, before 10:00 a.m. and after 5:00 p.m. daily, with awards on Sunday at 3:00 p.m.
- Visit the event website for news, Twitter updates, photos and more.
- Take part in the conversation throughout the championship using #idalewis18, @ussailing an @mentorharbor in your social media posts.
- Other tags: @gillna @zimsailing @mhyc5330 @mhycsailing @universityhospitals @hawkenschool @hawkenathletics @sailinginc @quantumcle @ncwsa @foundry216 @interlakeyacht @hooversailingclub @ClevelandYachtClub @edgewateryachtclubinc
- The 2018 U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship is sponsored by Gill North America.
Championship Notes
- Support of the U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship as well as the clinics 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 Doublehanded Championship started in 1995.
Prizes
- The Ida Lewis Trophy is the perpetual trophy presented to the winning team.
- US Sailing Championship medals will be awarded to competitors who finish first through fifth.
- Trophies will be awarded to competitors finishing in the top three places.
- The C. Thomas Clagett Jr. Sportsmanship Prize will be awarded to a team based on the results of the competitors’ ballots.
Contacts
Jaime Cordova, MHYC General Manager, jcordova@mhyc.us
Kathy Allyn, 2018 Ida Lewis Regatta Chair for MHYC, kathyallyn@gmail.com
Jake Fish, US Sailing Communications Manager, jakefish@ussailing.org
About Local Sponsors
Local sponsors are also stepping up to support this prestigious event. The Inter-Lake Yachtsmen’s Fund is sponsoring the opening night dinner on Tuesday, as the young women and coaches initially gather to unload their boats and meet each other. The North Coast Women’s Sailing Association and Edgewater Youth Sailing Foundation are co-sponsoring the Power Talks roundtables, which will feature the six professional coaches discussing various tips and tricks in quick 10-15 minute rounds. University Hospitals is a local sponsor, sending a registered dietician to discuss teen-athlete nutrition at a breakfast sponsored by the Inter-Lake Yachtsmen’s Fund. Hawken School, in Gates Mills, is sending its new Strength and Conditioning Coach, Kris Lewandowski, to discuss best practices for strengthening, conditioning, and controlling body movement for optimal endurance while sailing. Mentor Harbor Youth Sailing Foundation’s donors are sponsoring the Sunday awards dinner. Cleveland’s own Sailing Inc., Quantum Sails Cleveland, and The Cleveland Foundry are donating resources to support the event. All guests are being hosted by MHYC’s generous members and friends of MHYC, creating an unforgettable camaraderie for the week. This US Sailing National Championship is participating in the Sailors for the Sea’s Clean Regattas program.
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 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.
About MHYC
Mentor Harbor Yachting Club is a world-class private yachting club celebrating its 90th anniversary this summer, in Mentor-on-the-Lake, Ohio. Situated directly on Lake Erie, the Club has offered sailing and boating education to its members and the community since its inception. MHYC is home to the USA Junior Olympics Sailing Festival for Ohio, and recently hosted Laser singlehanded national championships in 2016 along with many other prestigious regional keelboat events including Falcon Cup, Mentor Regatta and powerboat events. MHYC’s mission is to provide the highest levels of member enjoyment and satisfaction. For more information, please visit www.mhyc.us or contact General Manager Jaime Cordova at 440-257-7214. The Club is located at 5330 Coronada Drive, Mentor-on-the-Lake, Ohio 44060.