Storrs Fund gives post-collegiate sailors a new path in competitive sailing…
“I was relieved, honored, and excited to get the Storrs grant! It helped me set a new goal of becoming a Top 10 world-ranked women’s match racer (hopefully soon to be number 1).”
You can feel the enthusiasm in Caroline Bayless’s words. And she’s able to pursue her goal thanks to the generosity of donors to US Sailing’s David Storrs Match Racing Fund.
Like many post-collegiate sailors, Caroline was looking for a way to continue with the sport after graduation. That’s when she found match racing. “I’m excited to get into the discipline and expand on my previous experience in team racing,” she says.
Each year, the US Sailing Match Racing Committee chooses male and female skippers aged 19-29 to receive Storrs Grants. The sailors can use the funds toward expenses such as entry fees, travel costs, and lodging at events for one full calendar year.
An equally valuable part of the award is that grantees are also paired with a racing mentor to help guide them in their competition campaigns.
Having an experienced mentor is critical for those new to match racing. While the fundamentals of sailing remain, match racing uses a slightly different set of rules and racing format. A mentor can share veteran advice and help ensure a successful match racing campaign.
Caroline’s mentor is Janel Zarkowsky Martin, who she calls JZ. “JZ has helped me become a better match racer both through boat speed and just explaining the rules/how to get around the course. I can tell how much JZ cares about growing the sport and her excitement about it is infectious. It makes me want to encourage my friends and former teammates to start match racing and apply for the grant. It makes me want to continue to get better and do more match racing.”
Sydney Monahan, another post-college Storrs Grant recipient noted, “I especially love match racing because it offers a unique paradox: it can be incredibly simple yet demands creativity and intricate maneuvers around the course.”
She was ecstatic to learn that she would receive a Storrs Grant. The funding meant that she could make a plan for her next steps as a sailor.
“The Storrs Grant gave me the opportunity to seriously pursue match racing,” Sydney said. “I was thrilled to be able to have the resources to build a team and commit to multiple events, learning from each event. The grant was the difference between being able to participate in match racing or not.”
The number of sailors – particularly women – who have started match racing has increased significantly this year. In fact, so many teams signed-up early for the U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship that registration had to close early!
Your support of this initiative and others like it is key to making sure there are opportunities available for everyone who wants to participate in this exciting part of the sport.
In Sydney’s own words, “I want to thank everyone who makes these events possible. Thank you to US Sailing, and to those who organize funding to grow various classes, to those organizing local regattas and clinics, to all the umpires and race committees, and to all the competitors who support each other along the way. The sport would not be what it is today without everyone working together.”