22nd C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta winners crowned

22nd Clagett Regatta Martin 16 1st and 2nd place Pierce-Long and Tim Brown - Sarah Everhart Skeels © Clagett Sailing - Andes Visual

2.4mR 3rd place Delani Hulme-Lawrence 22nd Clagett Regatta ©Clagett Sailing - Andes Visual

Three days of competitive racing and camaraderie along with a two day coaching clinic have wrapped up in Newport, Rhode Island for the 33 sailors with disabilities at the 22nd C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta. This year the fleet had eight of the Clagett Sailing Boat Grant recipients racing in the 2.4mR class with two of the top three finishers being Boat Grant recipients.

Principal Race Officer Tom Duggan spoke about the racing after completing two races on the final day ahead of the incoming storm, "The lowest we saw in breeze strength over the last three days was eight knots and it topped out at 18 knots and it was from the South East through to the South West direction. I was truly impressed by the ability of the sailors racing to deal with the conditions on the course. The tightness of the fleets and the finishes made for great spectating."

The twenty-one 2.4mR sailors came from across the United States and Canada as well as Puerto Rico to work with the coaches during the two-day clinic and then compete in the nine races completed. Joining the Clagett Sailing fleet in the 2.4mR class is the most recent recipient of the Boat Grant Program Chuck Allen from North Kingstown. Returning to race with the class after a seven-year break is Barbara Galinska from Chicago along with many new and familiar faces.

2.4mR 3rd place Delani Hulme-Lawrence 22nd Clagett Regatta - photo © Clagett Sailing - Andes Visual

This year a Clagett Sailing regular, Julio Reguero from Puerto Rico, has accomplished a hat trick, winning both the 2.4mR class and the overall C. Thomas Clagett, Jr, Trophy for a third consecutive year. "It feels amazing and pretty unbelievable to win again this year. It was really tough racing this year and I was lucky to be in the right places and have good finishes today to end up with the win. The level of racing is really high and there are five or six consistently strong sailors in the 2.4mR class. The competition is getting tougher each year and is really helping to improve everybody's racing," said Reguero after receiving his trophies and will be heading to Keil for the 2.4mR Worlds next month. Completing the podium in the 2.4mR class was Andrew Parish from Saint Michaels, Maryland and Clagett Boat Grant recipient and 2022 Team Clagett member Delani Hulme-Lawrence from Saint Paul, Alberta Canada.

22nd Clagett Regatta Martin 16 class winners Gary Pierce and Jeff Long - photo © Clagett Sailing - Andes Visual

In the five boat Martin 16 fleet, Chicago skipper Gary Pierce who has teamed up again this year with local Newport sailor Jeff Long, took the gold medal podium position. This team has sailed together over the last eight to nine years and spoke after racing about this, "I truly enjoy coming back to Clagett each year and racing with Jeff," said skipper Pierce. "We have great team work on the water and learn from the coaches more and more each year." Long talked about the competition after they posted a picket fence for their results this weekend dropping the only second place they scored, "I look forward to being at the Clagett Regatta each year to learn something new and put that into practice when we are racing." Taking home the silver medal is the returning team of Tim Brown from East Boston, MA and Sarah Everhart Skeels from Little Compton, RI and the bronze was earned by JR Hardenburgh from Boston, MA and Dan Scher from Mansfield, MA.

The 22nd C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta has been particularly poignant this year with the passing on Co-Founder Judy Clagett McLennan in November last year, which was recognized at an on-water tribute after racing on Friday the 28th. Sailors, family and friends gathered to spread flowers on Narragansett Bay and pay their respects to Judy and the legacy she has left with Clagett Sailing.

"There are many people I would like to thank including sponsors Fiduciary Trust International and XPT along with Quantum Sails, Aquidneck Landscape Services and Elmwood Chrysler, Dodge Jeep, Ram. I have to give a very big thank you to the Clagett Sailing Board, Advisory Board, Working and Fundraising Committees and the Team Clagett sponsors without whose help and dedication we couldn't run the clinic and regatta. The race committee, medical staff, judges and coaches all work together to give the sailors the best experience possible," commented Clagett Sailing President and Co-Founder Stephanie McLennan. She continued, "My mother and I co-founded this clinic and regatta 22 years ago and this year we have five people here besides myself who have been at all 22 years, Sarah Everhart Skeels and Brian Skeels, Colleen Burns-Jermain and Tim Jermain and Jeff Long and this year we have our very first PRO Rosa who has returned this year as our scorer so we have come full circle."

Martin 16 class podium finishers at the 22nd C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Regatta - photo © Clagett Sailing - Andes Visual

Clagett trophies:

C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Trophy - Julio Reguero
Susan B Johnson - Sportsmanship Award - Eric Rose
Larry Gadsby - Most Improved Award - Delani Hulme-Lawrence
Nick Scandone - Spirit Award - John Seepe
Robie Pierce and Gene Hinkle - Seamanship Award - Michelle Seepe

Final results 2.4mR (21 boats)