Holiday Sideshow claims Hinman Trophy

The 2019 U.S. Team Racing Championship featured 12 teams vying for the George R. Hinman Trophy on August 16-18 in Newport Beach, CA. Topping the field was Holiday Sideshow with Johnny Norfleet/ Christopher Klevan, Greiner Hobbs/ Miranda Bakos, and Ian Barrows/ Clara Robertson. Holiday Sideshow won the final series, 3-1, over San Diego Yacht Club and Friends.

The field was deep with college talent as Norfleet, Klevan, and Hobbs had sailed for Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Roberston and Barrows are former Yale sailors, and Bakos sailed for George Washington. All six sailors collectively had never sailed together before. Hobbs, Bakos, Norfleet, and Klevin were part of last year’s winning team, Boss, at the U.S. Team Racing Championship in Cleveland, OH.

Holiday Sideshow were the #3 seed through round robin play and the #1 seed and 2017 Champion, Jet Lag, selected Holiday Sideshow for their semifinal match. Holiday Sideshow edged Jet Lag, 3-2, to advance to the Final.

“Everyone had their moment this week and each boat stepped up when they needed to,” said Klevan.

“We knew we had some kinks to work out between the three boats, but we knew we could work it out in the end,” said Norfleet. “We just wanted to get to the knock-out round and be in position to win.”

The squad from San Diego Yacht Club and Friends included Scotty Sinks/ Allison Ferraris, Will La Dow/ Taylor Kirkpatrick, and Wade Waddell/ Katherine Bowman. Wilson, Ferraris, and Sinks are Boston College alumni sailors, while Bowman is currently sailing for the Eagles. La Dow sailed at Stanford and Kirkpatrick is on the current roster.

The East Coast Drifters defeated Jet Lag in the Petit Finals, 2-0. The East Coast Drifters includes Conner Harding/ Mike McBrien, Martim Anderson/ Marina Cano, and Mackenzie Bryan/ Jennifer Agell. Cano is a former college sailor from Brown, while the other five sailors are Roger Williams University alum.

This year’s entry list featured current college sailors, coaches and alumni from major programs including, Yale, Stanford, Georgetown, Roger Williams, College of Charleston, Boston College, Dartmouth, Old Dominion, St. Mary’s, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, George Washington, Brown, and California Maritime.

Event details – Entry list – Results – Photos

Racing Format:
• Qualifying Round Robin Series
• Gold/Silver Round Robin Seeding Series
• Knock-out Series – Top 4 Teams: Semifinals, Finals, Petit Finals

Source: US Sailing