Training time is over for U.S. Para Championships

Newport, RI (June 21, 2018) – For the 46 sailors who are attending the 16th annual C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta and the 2018 U.S. Para Sailing Championships in Newport RI, two days of coaching will be put to use tomorrow when the racing begins.

This year the coaching team of Dave Perry, Dave Dellenbaugh, Brian Todd, Betsy Alison, Nancy Haberland, and Ken Legler have all brought a wealth of sailing knowledge and skills to the table for the sailors to take out on the water and put in to practice.

Attending his 10th Clagett coaching clinic and regatta is Rio Paralympic Silver medalist Rick Doerr, who this year is racing with two new crew in the Sonar, is acting as a mentor to a graduate of the Warrior Sailing Program, Dawn Hart. Also racing with Doerr is Charles McClure who is a long-time Clagett sailor.

“Today was the culmination of two challenging days of race training camp with the Sonar coach Dave Perry,” said Doerr. “Dave never took his foot off the gas and treated us the same as any other sailors so he really pushed us to limits we might not have necessarily known we had. That’s what we are here for, to get pushed and learn all the time.”

From Canada is a recent Clagett Boat Grant Program recipient, Delani Hulme-Lawrence from St. Paul, Alberta, who is sailing in the 2.4mR class. Hulme-Lawrence, who had her first sail in the new boat over the last two days, is racing in the 23 strong 2.4mR fleet with fellow Canadian and Clagett Boat Grant Program recipient Shaylagh Ley.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to work with incredible coaches,” commented Hulme-Lawrence. “I’ve had the opportunity to train in Canada with a number of former Paralympians and this clinic and regatta lets me take it to the next level. I have a number of take a way’s I want to achieve from The Clagett, one being to learn from new coaches.”

Racing for the next three days of the regatta will be the 2.4mR class for single handed sailors, the RS Venture Connect for the double handed fleet, and the Sonar for the triple-handed fleet. For the first day of racing the forecast is for an Easterly breeze building to 15 knots by later in the day.

After the three days of racing the trophies which will be awarded for the sailors competing in The Clagett will be, the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Trophy, the Susan B Johnson – Sportsmanship Award, the Larry Gadsby – Most Improved Award, the Nick Scandone – Spirit Award and the Robie Pierce and Gene Hinkle – Seamanship Award will be presented to sailors taking part in the regatta.

US sailors, who registered to compete in the US Para Sailing Championships, will be eligible for the following trophies: the U.S. Para Sailing Singlehanded Championship for the Judd Goldman Trophy will be raced in the 2.4mR class, the U.S. Para Sailing Doublehanded Championship for the Chandler Hovey Trophy will be raced in the RS Venture Connect and the U.S. Para Sailing Triplehanded Championship for the Gene Hinkel Trophy will be raced in Sonars.

Event details – Entry list – Facebook

Source: Sam Crichton