8TH Annual C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic & Regatta August 22 - 26, 2010
The C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta was established in 2003 to help sailors with disabilities who hope to represent the U.S.A. at the Paralympic Regatta improve their odds of doing so. Sailors with vision impairments were welcomed to “The Clagett” in 2008 and compete for the Blind National Sailing Championship. Any interested sailor with disabilities, including foreign sailors, are welcome to participate in this four-day training and racing program led by sailing coaches internationally recognized for their expertise. The hallmark of The Clagett is the clinic on day one that covers subjects from strategy to rules and is led by experts on those topics, along with on-the-water coaching to work on technique. Three days of racing follows which gives the sailors an outlet to not only improve their skills but also test them while preparing for future success. (click to read more)
Sanctioned by US SAILING, The C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta was created to address the void in advanced training opportunities for competitive sailors with disabilities, and to provide them with the tools to achieve their individual goals. Prior to The Clagett’s inception, the U.S.A. lacked an organized program to train its sailors with disabilities for international competition on the elite level. In filling that void The Clagett has attracted sailors from over 10 states and international sailors from Canada, China, Ireland, Israel and Puerto Rico. In 2008, after sailing at The Clagett, both the U.S. and Canadian teams each won a Gold and a Bronze at the Paralympic games in China. Their success is emblematic of the mission of this event.
Hosted by Sail Newport, Rhode Island’s Public Sailing Center, the event has grown from offering racing in the three-person Sonar (2003-2004), to include the single-handed 2.4 Metre (since 2005), and the two-person Skud-18 (since 2006) – all classes selected for the Paralympic Games. Many of the boats are modified with harnesses, weight bearing mechanisms and safety equipment. J/22s (included since 2008) are raced by teams of four: two visually impaired sailors who race with two sighted guides.
The C. Thomas Clagett Jr. Memorial Regatta honors the late Tom Clagett (1916-2001), who, as a youngster, suffered temporary paralysis as the result of a bout of meningitis; it was an experience that left him with a deep respect for the accomplishments of people with disabilities, especially athletes
A lifetime resident of Washington, D.C., who learned to sail on Chesapeake Bay, Clagett was a 1939 graduate of St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, and served on active duty with the U.S. Naval Reserve in World War II, earning the rank of lieutenant commander. Well-known for his volunteer leadership and philanthropic commitment to organizations such as the Washington Cathedral, his lifelong passion for sailing included serving on the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, membership in the Navy League and the Annapolis Yacht Club, and service on the selection committee of the America's Cup Hall of Fame in Bristol, R.I. His legacy to the sport includes the establishment of two sailing trophies – The Nancy Leiter Clagett Memorial Trophy, in honor of his wife who was a top U.S. sailor, and The Ida Lewis Trophy – which are awarded to the winning women sailors (ages 13-18) at events which qualify them to compete on the international level at the Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship.
Sail Newport Blind Sailing National Championship August 24-26
Blind sailors compete on J22 sloops with two crew members who have several levels of sight-impairment. The blind sailors sail with two sighted guides on each boat for verbal assistance on boat maneuvering.
