West Coast Tour - The Gorge Skiff Invitational

by Kate Sheahan
West Coast Tour Coordinator

Where do Olympians and America’s Cup sailors really want to be sailing in the summer? For some, Cascade Locks in “The Gorge” in Oregon is their sacred spot. The venue has a casual, family-friendly culture; fresh cool water and hot temperatures, surrounded by snow-capped mountains; it blows 20+ consistently throughout the summer; and is a National Scenic Area adjacent to the city of Portland, Oregon.

On the water, it is a sailing venue where one feels a breath away from destruction. The relentless winds have been known to make grown men cry, but once the wounds are licked leave a racer wanting more – another chance to perfect each part of their race. Learning in public is never easy, but for the courageous it has great rewards at the Gorge. As one racer put it, “you are forced to be hyper-alert and work out the kinks quickly because one wrong move equals an instant capsize.” This rigor helps make you excellent. It is a time to not worry about awards – just the sailing.

The 2013 Gorge Skiff Invitational saw a collection of high-performance boats including: the 29er, 49er, 49erFX, International 14, and the mighty Tasar. This course was run adjacent to the Wind Youth Regatta, the area qualifier for the US Jr. Singlehanded Championship.

Jonathan McKee and his wife Libby sailed on “the couples boat,” the Tasar, which is similar to the V15. Marly Isler used the time to decompress from the high demands of the east coast college circuit and practice in extreme winds aboard her 29er, and Cooper Dressler was out on an I14 cross-training for his position as trimmer on The Red Bull Youth America’s Cup team - American Youth Sailing Force.

Catch them while you can…

Gorge Skiff Invitational 2013, a set on Flickr.



Stay tuned as I meet with grassroots organizers at the Ripple Opti Clinic starting tomorrow in Cascade Locks, OR.

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