NEWPORT, R.I. (June 25, 2023) – Thirty-one sailors competing at the 21st C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta and 2023 U.S. Para Sailing Championships have completed three days of racing which was preceded by a two-day coaching clinic.
The 21 sailors in the 2.4mR class and five boats in the Martin 16 class completed eight races with a variety of conditions from rain to fog to sun and everything in between. Principal Race Officer Tom Duggan commented after the regatta, “It turned out to be a great weekend for weather when we thought it wasn’t going to happen. We had to wait every day for the breeze which was from a mostly southerly direction between four-10 knots.”
In the larger fleet of the two classes racing this year, the 2.4mR class, the titles for the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta and the 2023 U.S. Para Sailing Championship went to Julio Reguero who was defending his Clagett Regatta title from 2022. Second in the 2.4mR class for the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta and the winner of the U.S. National Para Champion and the Judd Goldman Trophy was Charlie Rosenfield. In third pace in the Clagett Regatta was Tony Pocklington and in the U.S. Para Sailing Championship it was Peter Eager who took home the bronze.
Reguero, who also took home the overall trophy for the Clagett Regatta and whose next stop in his 2.4mR sailing is Finland for the 2.4mR World Championships said after the awards ceremony today, “It was amazing to pull off my results with the conditions today. I want to thank everyone at Clagett Sailing for all their support I receive from them and what they do for our sailing community. Winning all three trophies was a cherry on top.”
The double handed Martin 16 class with five boats racing, was won by Gary Pierce and Jeff Long in the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta. “It was a great weekend we had a blast and did better than I thought we would. We took the coaching every day and applied it on the course and it paid dividends so we did truly Learn, Race and Win,” said Pierce after racing concluded. Second in the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta Martin 16 was Steven Safford and Albert Pierce and in third was Tim Brown and Sarah Everhart Skeels. In the U.S. Para Sailing Championships in the Martin 16 it was Tim Brown and Sarah Everhart Skeels who took home gold and Dawn Hart and Kris Scheppe who took the silver. Brown said upon receiving the Chandler Hovey Trophy “This is my third Clagett Regatta and to be accepting this award is an amazing collaboration between everyone here, thank you.” Brown’s crew member Everhart Skeels commented, “This is my first time sailing as crew in my disabled sailing career and the first time sailing with Tim who started sailing only three years ago.”
Clagett Sailing President and Co – Founder Judy Clagett McLennan commented prior to prize giving, “We’ve had a bit of everything with weather over the last five days and I’d like to share a comment Casey Kirwin made in the tent earlier “Nature treats everyone equally.” She continued, “ A huge thank you to so many who make this clinic and regatta happen. Without their continued support and commitment, it wouldn’t happen, from the PRO Tom Duggan and race committee, to the coaches, our Bosun Gene Hinkel, our medical team and the Jury, along with the Co-Chairs for the annual Fundraiser.”
For more information about the 2023 Clagett Regatta and U.S. Para Sailing Championships, please visit: www.clagettsailing.org
U.S. Para Sailing Championships trophies:
Clagett trophies:
C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Trophy – Julio Reguero
Susan B Johnson - Sportsmanship Award – Andrew Parish
Larry Gadsby - Most Improved Award – John Seepe
Nick Scandone - Spirit Award – Tony Pocklington
Robie Pierce and Gene Hinkle - Seamanship Award – Tied between John Seepe (accepted by Michelle Seepe) and Tim Brown and Sarah Everhart Skeels ( accepted by Brian Skeels)
Categories: Press Release News Clagett Regatta Newport
