J/22 San Diego YC- Warrior Sailing Update

Warrior Sailing Returns to the Waters of San Diego

The Warrior Sailing program will introduce twenty-one new wounded veterans to an intense three-day sailing course using their most natural abilities, teamwork and competitive drive, despite their physical injuries.

Through a partnership with the Armed Services YMCA and the San Diego Yacht Cub, Warrior Sailing returns to San Diego, a beautiful setting to learn how to sail. The program was founded with a mission to introduce active military and veterans with disabilities to the sport of sailing, with opportunities ranging from introductory level sailing to world championship competition.

The program offers the Basic Training Camp at no cost to participants. They come from all branches of the military and have varying injuries that range from limb loss, traumatic brain injuries and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, to name a few.

“We value our partnerships in the San Diego community and always look forward to this event as a highlight of our training calendar.” says Cory Kapes, Warrior Sailing Program Manager. “It is only by working together can we provide an unbelievable experience for the wounded service members who have given so much to us.”

Participants will sail together in teams of three on J-22 one-design sailboats, with an on-board professional coach. Instruction and equipment is adapted to meet the needs of the participants. The sailboats and facilities are provided by SDYC.

“SDYC is honored to host the warrior sailing event for the fifth year in a row. We’re hosting 21 wounded warriors from around the U.S., and this week in an extension of our military appreciation night series that runs all summer long. SDYC has many members who are also veterans like me, and supporting this event is another way of giving back to the military community,” expressed SDYC Liaison Pete Whitby.

Sailing is the platform to help these wounded veterans reunite with their fellow service members, feel the camaraderie they found in service, and help with integration into civilian life.

Warrior Sailing is an amazing way to support our warriors from the Naval Medical Center– Balboa and across our nation,” says Tim Ney, Executive Director of the Armed Services YMCA. “We are very excited to be a partner with two great organizations.”

Graduates from the Basic Training Camp will learn about local sailing opportunities and those in their hometowns. Graduates may continue training to earn a keelboat certification, advanced racing skills and compete in open and disabled racing events both across the country and around the world.   More information on the Warrior Sailing Program can be found here

EURUS Wins Brazilian J/24 Championship

(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)- The 2017 edition of the Brazilian J/24 Championship took place over two weekends off Rio de Janeiro, hosted by YC Rio de Janeiro.  The racing took place on the infamous bay, with the huge seaside city in the background, famed for its Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, the 38 meter tall “Christ the Redeemer” statue atop Mount Corcovado and Sugarloaf Mountain, the granite peak (more like a huge rock) with cable cars to its summit.

The regatta had a great turnout, with eleven teams competing for national honors.  The teams were treated to a range of conditions, but mostly sea breezes from the east/southeast that were a result of nice clear, warm days, with hardly a cloud in the sky.  There was one day that was a bit light, cloudy, and mostly overcast all day long.

In the end, it was a very close battle for the top three boats, with the results going all the way down to the wire on the last day.  After starting out with an OCS, Ronaldo Senfft’s crew on EURUS (Andrea & Leticia Nicolino, Adhara Ginaid, and Carlos Eduardo Brandao) sailed fast and conservatively, sailing the most consistent series in the top three to win the regatta counting only top four finishes for a total of 18 pts net.

Also starting with an OCS and winning four races was Fernando Tover Gioia’s team on MALABAR (Mauricio Santa Cruz, Rafael Pariz, Joao Pedro Soute de Oliviera, and Sergio Almeida), could not overcome a mid-series streak of bottom half finishes to settle for the silver with 22 pts net.

Rounding out the podium was Murilo Borges’ BRUSCHETTA with crew of Tatiana Almeida, Jorge Bueno, Matheus Goncalves, and Mario Tinoco.  They sailed well and consistently; posting all top five finishes in their final tally, but only enough to secure the bronze with 24 pts net.   Sailing photo credits- Fred Hoffman    For more Brazilian J/24 Class sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

McKinnon Starts Paralympic Sailing Campaign

(Boston, MA)- Maureen McKinnon first began sailing on J/22's and J/24's in Marblehead, Massachusetts. After an unfortunate accident that left her physically as a paraplegic, she maintained her passion as a sailor and wished to get back out on the water again. 

Not soon after, she discovered the Paralympic circuit and special boats she could sail.  Ultimately, she teamed up with Nick Scandone to sail a SKUD 18 (a mini-sportboat type boat).  After a lot of trials and tribulations, they not only won the US Paralympic Sailing Trials with straight bullets, but they won the Olympic Gold Medal in the 2008 Qingdao Olympics in China!  Sadly, six months later, her teammate, Nick, passed away from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease).

Maureen is now on a new mission.  Having overcome such difficult life experiences, she’s continued to sail a variety of boats.  She’s even sailed on J/105s as the middle person/ pit in local Marblehead beer-can races.  Perhaps some “J” sailors may wish to help her in her goal to again represent the USA for the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil.

Maureen commented that, “I have continued to sail part-time on the Paralympic circuit over the past 6 years since our Gold medal win in China. In November 2014, I began practicing with a talented college sailor from San Diego, California and I am back in the SKUD18!

We have just returned from a World Cup event, our first racing together as a team. My new teammate, Ryan Porteous, and I secured the second place SKUD 18 spot on the Sperry Top Sider US Sailing Team, one year prior to the upcoming Paralympic team selection for Rio Games 2016. We are just two points behind the other US team.

The US Paralympic Sailing Team has a long history of Paralympic medal achievement in the 3 sailing disciplines. Since the sport's inception in 1996, the US has won 3 Bronze, 3 Silver and one Gold for our country. We are very proud to make the US Sailing Team in this critical year, just before the 2016 Rio Games in Brazil.

It will take a lot of practice, training days, good regatta performances and public support over the next year to win the US Trials.  The Marblehead community (especially the sailing community) really got behind us for my last bid in 2008.  I hope to rally up the support we need to bring MORE gold back to our proud sailing community! The Olympic stipends provided to serious Rio campaigners falls well short of the fundraising needs of any team.

Our schedule will include two expensive overseas regattas and two boat charters for this year. We also have 4 local New England regattas (Newport & New York), and we are hoping to be granted a SKUD 18 start line for the 126th  Marblehead Race Week this summer.” Here’s a biography/ backgrounder of Maureen on the US Sailing Team site.  If you wish to help her efforts, please contact Maureen McKinnon’s email- mcktucker@gmail.com

Brazilian J/70 CLOUD NINE First Sail!

(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)- here’s a recent video-clip report from friends in Brazil- Phil Haegler: “My J/70 Brazil #650 arrived about two months ago here in Rio de Janeiro, and I am loving it!! This is a really fun, easy boat to sail fast!

Look at the video I did the other day. Unfortunately, it was overcast and gusty, but still, the clip was OK, right?!”

We couldn’t agree more with Phil’s upbeat assessment of their sailing experiences on the site of the 2016 Olympic Sailing venue with the famous view of Sugarloaf Mountain and “Christ The Redeemer” statue in the background.  Watch it all unfold their in nicely done HD video.