Skiffs light it up in Miami

The Skiff Generation Grand Prix, a new training platform for U.S. high-performance sailing development, featured three skiff classes – 49er, 49er FX, and the 29er – on November 14-15 in Miami, FL. Conceived by event organizer Philip Muller, the event is the fulfillment of a vision in early 2020 for a series to bridge the gap between the skiff classes and bring the entire range together at one event.

Muller, the head coach of 2NINER, a high-performance sailing program based in Miami, an Olympic Development coach, and one of US Sailing’s Youth Worlds coaches, was in the unique position to put his vision into action. The creation of the Skiff Generation Grand Prix series encapsulates the continued growth of the youth pipeline into high-performance racing.

An additional benefit that became clear during the event was the excitement the 29er sailors felt sharing the circle with top American sailors in their own progression towards the Olympic class boats. Younger sailors in the 29er fleet raced alongside US Sailing Team athletes, and their dreams of bigger, faster boats became real.

Spectators observed the sharing of information between the classes as competitors provided pointers between races, and when asked why the Skiff Generation Grand Prix is a “must-sail” event, the 29er sailors overwhelmingly cited the openness of the group and coaches and their willingness to impart their knowledge on less experienced racers.

It was a historical milestone weekend for the US Olympic Development Program as it signaled a significant effort to support the “pipeline” of sailors training to step into the Olympic-class boats. With a total of 22 skiffs on the water in Miami, it was an inspiring view of the importance of regional development.

As the second event, the next is scheduled for December 10-13 for the 49er/49erFX North American Championships and December 12-13 for the 29ers.

Event details: https://theclubspot.com/regatta/gKclnAWRck
Series information: https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2020/10/08/skiff-generation-grand-prix-2020-21/

Source: US Sailing