2019 Sail Newport Brooke E. Gonzalez Advanced Racing Clinic

The 18th Annual Sail Newport Brooke E. Gonzalez Advanced Racing Clinic was held from June 13-16 with a record number of participants. Windy conditions were the norm this year with southwest winds ranging from 12-20 knots, great waves, and temps in the 60s.

Eighteen International 420 teams participated, 24 Club 420 teams, 19 Laser Radial sailors, and nine 29er teams rounded out the group of 122 sailors, ages 14-19 years old, from 16 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada.

Many of the nation’s top sailors were in attendance to jump-start their summer sailing and get some top level coaching. This year’s coaching lineup included:

Sail Newport Racing Programs Manager: Nick Ewenson
Clinic Director/Head Coach: John Mollicone, Brown University Head Coach

International 420 Coaches:
Zack Leonard, Yale University Head Coach
Skip Whyte, former University of Rhode Island Head Coach
Lior Lavie, Head Optimist Coach for Team U.S.A.
Stu McNay, 2008, 2012, 2016 Men’s 470 Olympian (U.S.A.)

Club 420 Coaches:
Justin Assad, Dartmouth College Head Coach
Sarah Lihan, 2012 Women’s 470 Olympian (U.S.A.)
Frank Pizzo, Bowdoin College Head Coach
Ali Blumenthal, Dartmouth College Assistant Coach
Taylor Martin, Maine Maritime Head Coach

Laser Radial Coaches:
Richard Feeny, U.S. Sailing Youth National Coach
Anna Tobias, 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist in the Laser Radial Women’s (U.S.A.)
Brian Swingly, U.S. Coast Guard Academy Head Coach

29er Coaches:
Willie McBride, 2016 U.S.A. Olympic Team Coach
Michael Kushner, U.S. Sailing Team 49er member
Duncan Williford, 2013 29er U.S.Youth Champion

On Thursday, June 13 the clinic started with a rigging and tuning clinic followed by a barbecue for all participants. Friday, June 14 delivered a building southwesterly ranging upwards of 20 knots for sailors to practice their boathandling and boatspeed, with many groups sailing outside Narragansett Bay in the open ocean.

Michael Kuschner from Sailing Performance Training led a presentation for the entire clinic on Friday evening after sailing and was on hand for the entire clinic to work with all of the sailors on fitness, stretching, health, and nutrition.

On Saturday, June 15 sailors were treated to another building southwesterly of 15-18 knots and great waves. After a long day of sailing, everyone was treated to a presentation by New York Yacht Club’s (NYYC) American Magic Skipper Terry Hutchinson and Foil Controller and past BEG Coach Andrew Campbell.

On Sunday, June 16 was the annual clinic regatta. The breezy southwesterly conditions continued and the regatta was sailed in 12-18 knots and run by race committee expert and Tufts University Head Coach Ken Legler. Six races were sailed by each class in classic Newport conditions between Goat and Rose Islands.

The winners were Justin and Mitchell Callahan (Miami, FL/Newport, RI) in the I420 class, Mariner Fagan and Ryan Wahba (Annapolis, MD) in the Club 420 Class, Mateo Di Blasi (St. John, USVI) in the Laser Radial, and Hayden Earl and Tommy Styron (Boston, MA) who topped the 29er fleet.

Finalists for the Brooke Gonzalez Award were Club 420 crew Isabel “Ellie” Alex (Middletown, RI), Radial sailor Leyton Borcherding (Greenwich, CT), I420 sailors Justin Callahan/ Mitchell Callahan and Torrey Chisari/ Sofia Segalla (Locust Valley, NY), and 29er crew Nick Hardy (Ft. Lauderdale, FL).

Hardy was honored the Brooke Gonzalez award after all of the coaches agreed that Nick best exemplified Brooke’s sailing spirit and exceptional attitude.

For clinic results… click here.

Source: John Mollicone