Winners are crowned and Team Clagett announced at the 20th Anniversary C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta
NEWPORT, R.I. (June 26, 2022) – After two days of the coaching clinic and three days of competition, the sailors racing at the 20th Anniversary C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta have congratulated their fellow sailors as they received the silverware in recognition of their results.
Thirty two sailors from across North America and the Caribbean, representing 10 states and territories and three Canadian provinces, have participated in the 20th Anniversary C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta which started with five boats in 2003.
It has evolved into a multifaceted organization providing opportunities and programs for sailors with disabilities enabling sailors to Reach for Success while they Learn-Race-Win,Learn-to Reach for Success, Race-in the Corinthian spirit, Win-self-empowerment.
In the twenty boat 2.4mR class it has been lead from start to finish by Julio Reguero (San Juan, Puerto Rico) whose scorecard had four first places in the 10 races the fleet completed. Reguero, a Paralympian who sailed in the 2008 and 2012 games, is also a recipient of the 2.4mR boat he is sailing from the Clagett Boat Grant Program.
As a result of his win in the 2.4mR class, Reguero has qualified for a place on Team Clagett. The inaugural team will represent Clagett Sailing at the 2.4mR World Championships in Tampa, Florida in November.
Finishing in second place in the 2.4mR class is Tony Pocklington (Ft. Meyers, FL) and rounding out the podium is Canadian Peter Wood who has traveled from Ottawa to attend numerous Clagett Regattas in Newport.
Reguero said after he was awarded the trophy for the 2.4mR class, “I feel very happy with my results from the racing this week. I’m looking forward to the Clagett/Oakcliff Match Racing Clinic and Regatta in September and learning match racing skills. I’m very proud to be selected and part of Team Clagett who will be at the 2.4mR Worlds in Tampa Florida later this year.”
Reguero was also awarded the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Trophy which is the third time he has won this trophy. He has won it in the 2.4mR class at each event in 2009, 2016 and now in 2022.
The Martin 16 class win went to the defending trophy holder Californian Carwile LeRoy, who was sailing with Tannis Hall from Mont Tremblant Canada for the last three days. LeRoy won this class in 2019 and 2021 and now for a hat trick. LeRoy’s result was a single digit as a result of his multiple first places across the finish line over the last three days of racing.
“The sailing gods smiled on me today, I found something magic in Newport. I did things I’ve never done before in my sailing career here in Newport. I’m on cloud nine it’s always a good time to go out sailing. Our coach Dave Dellenbaugh gave me a compliment “I’m a lot like the tortoise than the hare, something happens on the course and I just keep going. It was fantastic to sail with Tannis as my crew, Canadians are such nice people,” commented LeRoy after claiming his third title in the Martin 16 class.
Finishing in second in the six boat Martin 16 class is Patrick LoDuca (Chicago, Ill) and Jeff Long (Newport, R.I.) who sailed for the first time in a Martin 16 on Wednesday. LoDuca has attended six Clagett Regattas, the first five in the Sonar and now the Martin 16. Long was a sailor at the very first Clagett Regatta 20 years ago when he sailed with Steve Anderson.
“Carwile certainly has got the Martin 16 figured out. It was a great challenge being in the boat for the first time. To me this regatta is about the camaraderie, the competition keeps you sharp both mentally and physically. I usually sail here in the Sonar with the Judd Goldman program who supported my participation here this week,” said LoDuca after racing.
Joining Reguero on Team Clagett will be his fellow 2.4mR sailors Charlie Rosenfield (Woodstock, CT), Peter Eager (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) Delani Hulme-Lawrence (Saint Paul, Alberta, Canada), and the alternate team member is Chris Childers. Team Clagett consists of the top three scoring 2.4 mR competitors with a disability, plus the next highest scoring 2.4mR Clagett Boat Grant Programrecipient competitor and an alternate member is named. The team will be managed by Clagett alumni sailor Brad Johnson himself a Paralympian in multiple sports.
“In this the Clagett’s 20th Anniversary year I have so many people to thank, our amazing sponsors Fiduciary Trust International, AIG, Gustave White Sotheby’s, One 80 Intermediaries, Innovative Construction, the Kimball Foundation and Aukai Spirit along with all the fabulous in kind sponsors, the volunteers both returning and new who have traveled from across the world to be here this week we thank you for your time and dedication to the sailors, to our world class coaches and race management teams thank you for providing the very best for the sailors here this week. A special thank you to our bosun, Gene Hinkle, who has been at every Clagett Regatta. At this regatta this year we have present 12 people who were here at Sail Newport 20 years ago when we had five boats racing at the very first Clagett Regatta,” said Clagett President and Co-Founder Judy Clagett McLennan.
She continued, “In 2022 as we celebrate 20 years of providing opportunities to sailors with disabilities we have rebranded the organization to Clagett Sailing and we have added to our mantra “Learn, Race and Win.” Our mission, to provide sailors with disabilities the opportunity to improve their skills and reach personal goals through world-class coaching and competition, is evidenced by the ways our sailors: Learn...to “Reach for Success!” • Race...in the Corinthian Spirit • Win...self-empowerment. We look forward to what the future holds and will always strive towards our mission and vision “to provide sailors with disabilities the opportunity to improve their skills and reach personal goals through world-class coaching and competition” and “to be the leader in developing competitive sailing opportunities for sailors with disabilities.”
Clagett trophies awarded for 2022:
C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Trophy – Julio Reguero
Susan B Johnson - Sportsmanship Award – Tony Pocklington
Larry Gadsby - Most Improved Award – Chris Childers
Nick Scandone - Spirit Award – Shan McAdoo
Robie Pierce and Gene Hinkle - Seamanship Award – John Seepe on a tie breaker (was tied with Andrew Parish)
Team Clagett – Julio Reguero (San Juan, Puerto Rico), Charlie Rosenfield (Woodstock, CT), Peter Eager (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) Delani Hulme-Lawrence (Saint Paul, Alberta, Canada), and the alternate team member is Chris Childers (San Francisco, CA)
Founded in 2003, the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta honors the late Tom Clagett (1916-2001), a U.S. Navy World War II veteran who learned to sail on Chesapeake Bay. As a youngster he suffered temporary paralysis as the result of a bout of meningitis; an experience that left him with a deep respect for the accomplishments of people with disabilities. Clagett Sailing’s stated mission is "to assist sailors in realizing their potential on the water by providing them both the knowledge and tools to improve their skills and the opportunity to use these skills in competition." The organization has adoptedTom Clagett's motto of "Reach for Success,” which resonateswith every Clagett sailor.
2022 marks the 20th Anniversary of Clagett Newport. Clagett alumni sailors have earned medals at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Paralympic Games. Along with reaching the 20th Anniversary milestone, the nonprofit organization while adhering to its original mission has evolved beyond its original single regatta format and has been rebranded “Clagett Sailing” to encompass the multiple programs it now offers to sailors with disabilities.
Clagett Sailing 2022 sponsors:
Clagett Sailing would like to thank the following – Fiduciary Trust International at the Platinum level; AIG Private Client Group at the Silver level; Innovative Construction, The Kimball Foundation, at the Bronze level;