2021 Clagett and U.S. Para Sailing Championships Day 1

Dockside preparations at the Clagett Regatta and U.S. Para Sailing Championships © Clagett Regatta - Andes Visual

Day one of the 2021 Clagett Regatta and U.S. Para Sailing Championships, mother nature decided not to play ball with the fleet held ashore under the postponement flag until 1pm on a hot and humid summer day. The race committee went out onto the course to see what was developing and shortly after some storms cells moving through the area caused the race committee to call for racing to be postponed for the rest of the day.

"Unfortunately today's racing was called off due to weather but the sailors are ready to put the knowledge and skills they learned over the previous two days of the coaching clinic to use. Over 30 sailors will be on the start line tomorrow and come Sunday we will be crowning Clagett and U.S. Para Sailing Champions for 2021," said Clagett Co-Founder and President Judy Clagett McLennan.

Waiting for wind day 1 of Clagett Regatta-U.S. Para Sailing Championships - photo © Clagett Regatta - Andes Visual

This year's fleet has a number of competitors who are returning to Newport after a year's hiatus due to Covid along with a number of Clagett first timers.

Amongst the fleet is a mother and daughter duo of Maureen McKinnon, a competitor at the 2016 Rio Games and a Paralympic Gold Medalist at the 2008 Beijing Games, who is racing in the single handed 2.4mR class and her daughter Dana McKinnon Tucker who is sailing for the first time at The Clagett as crew for Timothy Brown in the double handed Martin 16 class.

Sonars checking sails waiting for wind day 1 Clagett Regatta and U.S. Para Sailing Championships - photo © Clagett Regatta-Andes Visual

In the largest fleet, the 2.4mR class, there are a number of first timers including a Clagett Boat Grant recipient from North Carolina, John Seepe. Seepe received the boat from the Clagett Boat Grant program in 2019 and this is his first opportunity to race the boat in Newport at the Clagett Regatta.

Sailing in the Martin 16 class as crew with Nicholas Bryan-Brown is Albert Pierce, brother of Robie Pierce, a local Newport sailor who was the visionary for the Clagett Regatta.

2.4mR sailor John Seepe prepares for sailing at the Clagett Regatta and U.S. Para Sailing Championships - photo © Clagett Regatta - Andes Visual

The triple handed Sonar class has Sarah Everhart Skeels racing with crew Pauline Dowell, a blind sailor from Boston Mass. Joining them is Brown University sailing team member Emma Montgomery who is one of Skeels' former students. They will line up against the Sonar team from Chicago skippered by Patrick LoDuca and the third boat in the fleet is from Lake George, N.Y skippered by Dave Whalen who uses the Sip and Puff technology to steer the boat instead of the traditional tiller.

Sailors waiting under the tent for wind day 1 Clagett Regatta and U.S. Para Sailing Championships - photo © Clagett Regatta - Andes Visual

List of entries:

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