Big issue with lots of content - please share with your club leadership, fleet captains and junior program coordinators!
Greetings from the Helm,
I hope that you are full into sailing mode; we have a lot going on in SAYRA to be excited about. Charleston Race Week, the 25th anniversary, one of the largest continual sailing events in our area was a hit, despite no on shore parties. Talking to many of the sailors, they will be back again for the 26th next year as this event is a not miss once you have done it. If you have never participated in race week, I highly suggest you put it on your bucket list, as a sailor, race committee or shore side volunteer. It is a great event with top sailors from around the country participating in SAYRA waters and Charleston Ocean Racing Association should be proud of the event this year.
The Women’s Club Championships will be held June 13th in Charleston, utilizing the College of Charleston J22s. The U.S. Sailing Adult Sailing Championships will be held in Texas in Sonars late fall, this is a resume qualifier, make sure you fill out your team and get your resume in before the late August deadline. Our SAYRA Club Championshipsis tentatively set for Aug 21/22 in Charleston to be sailed in the College of Charleston J22s. Clubs build your teams and represent your burgee on the starting line in Charleston for SAYRA Club Honors!
Our Juniors’ around SAYRA are amazing, at many regattas you see many top-level juniors competing against adults and traveling wide and far. Many of these Jr sailors started in the Opti class and our next raising sailors just competed in the Opti Team trials with 136 boats at Lakewood Yacht Club in Texas. Congratulations to the SAYRA Opti sailors who have qualified for Optimist International teams! Most we have had in many years. The Chubb US Sailing Jr Championship are coming up with semi-finals June 25/27 in Fairhope, Al. Don’t miss this great opportunity to represent SAYRA and your club. Helen Hanley Travel Grants are available for those sailors that are eligible. As we enter summer programing, please remember everyone has a first day in our sport (young and old) embrace them and make it a positive sailing experience! More sailors is better for the future of our sport.
Not to be out done the PHRF Offshore Championship will go into summer break by the time you read this newsletter having raced four of the six regattas in the series. Full details and updated results included in the e-newsletter.
What do all these successful events need? Volunteers including Race management! Check out the great new tools on the SAYRA website that Chip Till’s team has put up to help all of us, from different courses to how to set a start/finish line and more. But it goes beyond race management and includes safety support, social media, shore side hands and more and SAYRA is here to support our members as they go forward!
Sail more sail fast, if I can do anything for you, or your club please reach out to me.
Best, Pete
