College Sailings Chalk Talk - October 31, 2013

Chalk Talk is back from its mid-season hiatus! This week we revisit the Red Bull Youth America's Cup that featured so many current and past college sailors from the U.S. We also discuss regatta results, Stud of the Week, a look ahead at the chilly end of the season, rankings and more.

West Coast Tour - High School Sailing - Excellence from the Get-Go

by Kate Sheahan

West Coast Tour Coordinator

Point Loma High School sailing practice with Coach Steve Hunt

PCISA or the Pacific Coast Interscholastic Sailing Association includes over 80 High School teams from SoCal, NorCal and Hawaii. The season generally runs from late September to May with teams competing mostly in double-handed FJs. The top events are the Baker Team Racing Nationals and the Mallory Fleet Racing Nationals. In preparation for Nationals, teams sail five major regional events hosted along the West Coast between October and March. Points from the regionals, as well as points from the Pacific Coast Championship count towards a spot at Nationals. Additionally, five "friendlies" are hosted as one-day regattas meant to get new skippers and crews serious regatta experience. Regional events see about sixty teams (gold and silver fleets combined), while the more relaxed "friendlies" boast upwards of forty to fifty boats. The West Coast Tour caught up with the Point Loma High School Sailing Team for their first day of practice out of the San Diego Yacht Club. With a long winning history PLHS is looking to defend their dual Team Racing and Fleet Racing Champion titles again this year. Head Coach Steve Hunt creates excellence by keeping his messages simple and working from the bottom up. Read on as team members share their own advice based on experiences from being apart of a truly successful team.

SDYC has a fleet of 24 FJS to support four High School teams

Maddy Brownsea, entering her fifth and final year on the Point Loma High School Sailing Team says, “when she was younger her older teammates really helped her to grow in sailing, and in life, so as a senior it’s a cool experience to be able to do that for the younger members.” Her advice: Keep it simple. Don’t tack or gybe too much.

Blake Buckner and Peyton Thomas who were paired up for their first day of practice say they’ll be focusing on getting the timing of their roll tacks and gybes down over the first month and Blake looks forward to traveling to regattas. Peyton, who has sailed on both the East Coast and West Coast believes,"the winds are puffier in San Diego, and that makes for better sailors because they're used to focusing on the breeze." Their advice: Sail on the long tack. Sail in more wind.

Pre-practice briefing at the Malin Burnham Sailing Center

Rebecca McElvain and Jennifer Johnson are one of a couple all-womens teams. Rebecca who is transitioning from crewing to skippering this year says that working with Head Coach Steve Hunt has taught her to stay calm and composed, which has helped with not only her sailing, but with speeches and dealing with the demands of school. Jennifer says she, “is focused on working hard, keeping a level head and being the best that she can be.” Both believe that a co-ed team makes members more conscious of being respectful. They say they feel lucky to have a great facility, varying conditions to learn more aspects of sailing, and a supportive environment. Their advice: Stay calm and composed.

Champion sailor Scott Sinks and crew roll tack off the pin.

Two-time National Champion Will LaDow believes there is a lot of talent condensed in to a small area of the Southern California coast making for highly competitive practices and local competitions. Admittedly more of a laid back guy, Will believes that working with his Coach Steve Hunt has made him enjoy being more disciplined. “Steve has ingrained in us to be the first one off the dock, get a good night sleep, and finish homework early so we can focus on competing.” To help the team focus more, Will explains that, "coach Steve breaks down sailing in to small pieces and doesn’t overcomplicate the messages, which [he] thinks helps even the most advanced sailors." Will says he does yoga for a strong core and surfs to stay peaceful. His advice: Be early and cross train.

Practices see 18-24 boats on the line.

Champion sailor Nick Kashack graduated from Point Loma High School in 2008 and believes his coaching style, sailing style and philosophies were shaped by his experiences from working with High School team head coach Steve Hunt. A recent graduate of the University of California Santa Barbara, he has now returned to be the PLHSST assistant coach and further reinforce the culture that has proven to be so successful. Nick believes coaching from the bottom up gets the team as a whole good, which elevates the level of practices. He also believes in a huge emphasis on the fundamentals of boat handling and boat speed before teaching advanced tactics and strategies. His advice: Pick a college that suits you and don’t worry about entering college as a top tier recruit. Be in great physical shape, show determination and prepare to work hard.

Catch video interviews with Point Loma High School Sailing Team members as they talk about the formula for a winning High School team and encourage more students to get out on the water. San Diego Yacht Club Junior Director John Fretwell explains the paths junior sailors take through the program and why West Coast teams are so good.

Follow the West Coast Tour on Facebook and Twitter at @USSailing or catch up on stories here at the US Sailing Blog with keyword search West Coast Tour.

Point Loma High School Sailing Practice Fall 2013, a set on Flickr.

Reflections from the President

Two Lives.  So, what are you doing with yours?

This year, two of my favorite sailors have “crossed over the bar,” as one had written.  Both lived and worked to make sailing more accessible, more fun, and more meaningful to people of all stripes.  We were travelers on the same path.  It made me wonder, what am I doing to advance the mission?

I met Greg Norwine in Colorado Springs at a US Sailing meeting about 12 years ago.  He was there encouraging the notion of improving the training of keelboat sailors and bringing them into focus through US Sailing’s binoculars.  A soft-spoken and personally engaging fellow, whatever he was selling you would buy and be happy.  We hit it off.  He got the Cruising Council launched and we started collaborating on related issues in US Sailing.  Over 3,000 people a year take keelboat courses, at schools like his, and they all join US Sailing to do it.  Greg’s contribution to the overall success of keelboat schools and the multiple levels of curriculum development via US Sailing remains undiscovered, because he took no credit.  Greg was a class act.

Two-hundred people attended Charlie Leighton’s memorial service on a gorgeous day in Newport, RI.   Appropriately, a brisk wind blew through the tent and ruffled the outfits and hair of all the sailors and friends present.  Charlie created the sailing program at Bowdoin College as a student in the 50’s, sailed all his life, excelled in business, led US Sailing as Executive Director in his “retirement,” and showered the people he cared for with an enduring encouragement that no one will forget.  His advice was clearly his own belief, “find something important, and make it better.”  I will not forget his conviction and encouragement to make something good happen.  He lifted our sailing organization by business wisdom, genuine personal inspiration, and the sheer force of his positive belief in the good people around him. 

I don’t have to tell you that sailing is something important.  It builds character and it’s fun, outdoors, green, frequently competitive, social, and much more.  Let’s keep working on making it better. 

I have a goal:  wherever we are having a meeting, there should be some sailing!  This week, the leadership convenes at Captiva Island, Florida for US Sailing’s Annual Meeting.  My team plans to win the Championship of Committees Regatta at the Colgate School next door.  Both the legacy of our sport and the promise of the future are on our minds.  From whatever backgrounds and sources of inspiration, people who are volunteer leaders and committee members love the sport and want to spread and enhance its enjoyment.  We each have been motivated by a Greg or a Charlie - people of unique stature.  Let’s get to work making our important pastime even better.

If you can’t be in Captiva this week but have been inspired to share and grow the sport, please join the sailing love-fest at Sailing Leadership Forum 2014.  Sailing is important and we need your engagement to make it even better. Join the party at the Leadership Forum in San Diego this February.  We need local spark plugs, regional organizers, creative people for national work groups and committees.  Learn, lead, and network with motivated sailors.  The first step is to just show up and see what is happening.  We need you!

Cheers,

Tom Hubbell
US Sailing President

College Sailing's Chalk Talk - October 10, 2013

Chalk Talk comes to you from the U.S. Team Racing Championship for the Hinman Trophy to catch up with some current and past ICSA all-stars. Which event is more competitive: the Hinman or ICSA Nationals? Which is better: college kinetics rules or the original RRS Rule 42? Sailors tell all in this week's special episode, shot on location in Newport Beach, CA.

Chalk Talk is presented by US Sailing. Support your National Governing Body in return. Check out their economical Collegiate Membership, which is a four-year membership for only $95.

We're also supported by Zim Sailing, who offers a great college discount code for their website. Watch the episode to find the code!

West Coast Tour - Treasure Island Thursday Night Dingy Sailing

by Kate Sheahan

West Coast Tour Coordinator

Avery Patton Whitmarsh and Matthew Sessions

Every Thursday night throughout the spring, summer and fall, San Francisco dingy sailors trade business suits for wetsuits and get out on the Treasure Island basin for some competitive action in Lasers and Vanguard 15s amidst serious City Front winds. A recent article in Forbes magazine entitled, Why You Should Fill Your Company With 'Athletes' by contributing author David K. Williams, speaks about why you should hire those who have athlete traits, which he deems akin to leadership traits. He lists that athletes, “never give up, develop new skills, are entrepreneurs, strive for balance, and work well in teams.” This is perhaps why the Treasure Island Svendsens Thursday Night Series is on its thirteenth year and a success.

Generally a Masters fleet, with all ages welcome, the evening sailing in rigorous conditions is a time to take a break from the workplace, physically practice as an athlete, “and we still give the kids a good run for their money at events,” smiles Laser fleet Co-Chair Mike Bishop. Matthew Sessions, a graduate of Boston University explains the TISC evening sailing culture as “a really nice group of ex-college sailors of all abilities, but at the upper end of dingy sailing.” Fleet members range from collegiate All-Americans to big-boat sailors looking for tighter action and more tactical situations. Those who work hard need to play hard and so the evening is split between four to seven collegiate-style short-course buoy races, and a couple hours of barbecuing and conversation afterwards. The start is 6:15pm every Thursday for 25 nights and most believe it to be, "the best way to begin the end of the week."

As the Forbes article reminds us, “athletes are tenacious—they seldom or never give up. They also have a strong work ethic and the ability to respect and deal with the inevitable issues of temporary pain...” “Getting here through traffic is difficult,” says Mike Bishop, “there are a number of other fleets in the Bay area, but not quite with the wind and challenges found at Treasure Island," so there is always a solid turnout. Mike goes on to explain that, “most of the Laser fleet comes out of the East Bay, while most of the Vanguard fleet comes out of the City, so there is a good mix of demographics.”

Vanguard 15 Fleet Captain, Al Sargent recalls that Nick Adamson and Carissa Harris started the Vanguard 15 fleet in about 1998 out of Encinal Yacht Club and from 2000 onwards it has been racing at Treasure Island. “On a weekly basis there are a solid fifteen boats on the line, and between Tuesday night team races and Thursday night fleet races there are about 250 races held per year.” The fleet races April through October at Treasure Island and also attends a ski/sail event in Tahoe in April, hits the High Sierras in July, the V15 fleet champs wrapped up this past weekend at Inverness Yacht Club and the St. Francis Fall Dingy event under the Golden Gate will be held October 26-27.

Mike Bishop explains that a number of sailors have two boats, which has helped to develop the fleet. For example, John Russell, a Kiwi boat builder for America’s Cup Team Artemis, contacted the fleet through the website and was able to take a break from the AC mania and jump in a spare boat for about five or six weeks. “Guys borrow and then tend to buy,” says Mike. Racers store their boats and launch from the Treasure Island Sailing Center and storage fees go to support the quickly growing non-profit community youth programs. Read more from the West Coast Tour about the new TISC Sailing in the Schools program thanks in part to the America’s Cup Organizing Committee in partnership with the America’s Cup Legacy Fund. For storage details check out: tisailing.org/storage

For details about Treasure Island Laser sailing visit: tilaserfleet.org and the Laser District 24 site at: d24.laserforum.org. District 24 covers California from San Luis Obispo to Oregon and most of Nevada except for the Las Vegas area.

For details about Treasure Island West Coast Fleet 53 Vanguard 15 sailing check out: vanguard15.org.

For an album of stills, check the US Sailing Flickr Photo Stream: Treasure Island Thursday Nights, a set on Flickr.

Follow the West Coast Tour on Facebook and Twitter at @USSailing as I get out on the water for High School sailing practice with some of the top teams in the country as they begin their 10-month season.