Camp Sea Gull and Camp Seafarer were honored to host the 2021 U.S. Youth Sailing Championship. The top youth sailors throughout the United States traveled to Camp Sea Gull the weekend of October 8-11, 2021. Featured in the event were the Radial, Laser, I420, 29er and Nacra 15 classes.
The U.S. Youth Sailing Championship was started in 1973 at the Sheridan Shore Yacht Club in Wilmette, IL. The countries best youth sailors were sent invitations to attend the event in Lasers and 470s in mid-June. Over forty years later, U.S. Youth Championship remains US Sailing’s pinnacle youth regatta, featuring the nation’s top competitors racing in the six high-performance classes.
Our 5-mile stretch of open water, family-friendly facility, on-site meals and housing, fun activities for everyone and evening program plans make this a uniquely all-inclusive regatta experience. Please visit the event page to learn more about the regatta.
Camp Seafarer alumna, Taran Teague, served as one of the Principal Race Officers for the event. Taran played a vital role as the Principal Race Officer for the 2015 USODA Southeast Championship hosted at Camp Sea Gull and Camp Seafarer. She also served as a judge at the 2019 Optimist Southeast Championships and Spring Team Qualifiers hosted at Camp. Terrell Kennedy and Van King served as regatta co-chairs.
Youth Sailing Regatta Recap
From U.S. Sailing representatives, coaches, parents and racers, the feedback has been amazing. We're grateful to our staff and volunteers who helped make the 2021 U.S. Youth Championship such a success. Read what our participants thought of the event below:
"We just wanted to thank you again for an amazing event that you pulled off last week. What an experience Youth Champs was for not only for our daughter, but for us too. Youth Champs was our first regatta with this high caliber of competition and we feel that you all knocked it out of the park! From the hospitality, friendly faces, food and organization of the event, there wasn’t anything we would have suggested to do differently or enhance. We understand how much time and energy both on and off the work clock these events take and you should all feel proud of the successful event you helped create. Thank you for letting us come to enjoy the event."
"I participated in the ILCA 6 fleet and was awarded the Dave Perry Sportsmanship award at the Youth Champs regatta this past weekend. I just wanted to reach out and extend my thanks for all of your time and efforts put into running this amazing event! This was by far the most fun regatta I have ever attended, with all the off the water events, the incredible conditions, the amazing volunteers and the crazy competition. As I am on the US Sailing Youth Advisory Board and the I-LYA Youth Advisory Board, I will be retelling the stories from this regatta in hopes to try to recreate similar experiences for other young sailors! I appreciate all of your hard work put in to make this event like no other I have ever been to! Thank you for everything!"
"I knew in my heart that Camp Sea Gull would do an incredible job and y’all did! From being by our side at every moment and with smiles on your faces you just made everything happen perfectly! The Sea Gull volunteers were impressive and so professional and just a joy to be around! You made the regatta so worth all of the hard work as we gave the sailors memories to last a lifetime and introduced so many families to such a special place!!"