2024 High School Doublehanded Nationals
Published on June 2nd, 2024
Twenty schools competed in the 2024 High School Doublehanded National Championship held June 1-2 in Charleston, SC. The 20-race series was won by Severn School (Severna Park, MD), led by Annie Sitzmann ’26 and Helena English ’24 getting third in A Division while teammates Harrison Szot ’27 and Scarlett Harris ’24 won B Division.
Day one began with the wind coming from the east at 10-15 knots, while the tide was flooding. The Principal Race Officer (PRO) led the sailors around the corner to the infamous Crab Bank. Known for its challenging conditions, Crab Bank didn’t disappoint with its shifty winds and dynamic currents.
A division started in FJs with B Division in 420s, and with the breeze building to 12 knots, both divisions completed 12 races. Leaders shifted throughout the day, finally ending Saturday with Ransom Everglades ending the day with a 3-point lead over Antilles. Severn, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St George rounded out the top 5.
For the second day, the course was in front of the aircraft carrier Yorktown which provided a great view for families. A strong outgoing current helped create some general recalls but after a few the sailors got plenty of racing in.
A south breeze averaged around 12 knots for the day, while midday the current turned for some tough upwind conditions. There was some shifting in scores under these new conditions with Severn taking the lead early and holding on.
Details: https://scores.hssailing.org/s24/2024-issa-mallory-national/