Supporting a Generation of Champions

2002 CISA Clinic
Final Wrap-up

April 7, 2002

CLINIC BRINGS CONFIDENCE AND INSPIRATION, WITH A WOMAN'S TOUCH

LONG BEACH, Calif.-The future of American sailing blew through town, with a
firm push from the present. There were 125 of the top boy and girl sailors
in the nation who spent four days and three nights, on the water and off,
absorbing the knowledge dispensed by an elite faculty of world-class
competitors.

It was the annual CISA Advanced Racing Clinic at Alamitos Bay Yacht Club,
where conditions were cool but otherwise ideal, offering a full wind range
from ultra light in the mornings to 18 knots in the afternoons. CISA,
founded in 1971, started the clinics in 1979 as a springboard for young
prospects selected from their r�sum�s.

"I got a lot of inspiration from the coaches who have done so much
themselves and take the time to help us," said Liz Rountree, a 420 dinghy
sailor from San Francisco.

Sean Anderson of Menlo Park, Calif., said, "I really liked the venue. I'll
have a lot more confidence in heavy wind."

About 40% of the participants were girls. Crystal Bronte of Tiburon said,
"The part I liked most was when [two-time Olympic medallist] JJ Isler was
here, following behind us. It's nice having a woman coaching us."

CISA president Tim Hogan said, "You don't see anybody unhappy here."

The clinic director was Peter Wells, a former Laser II North American and
National champion and the top-ranked Mistral (sailboard) campaigner on the
US Sailing Team.

Charlie McKee, Olympic bronze medalist in the 49er class with his brother
Jonathan at Sydney in 2000, and Rhode Island's Bob Merrick, who won a
silver in 470s with Paul Foerster, were among the coaches. Others were Meg
Gaillard, who stormed to the top of the US Sailing Team women's Europe
class rankings in the recent Olympic Classes Regatta on the same waters a
week earlier; Mark Mendelblatt, Kevin Hall, Nick Adamson, Carisa Harris,
Bill Hardesty, Rich Feeny, Robert Dean, Skip Whyte, Brian Doyle, Zack
Leonard, Jon Rogers, Jaimie Malm and Adam Dearmont.

Mendelblatt, McKee and Hall were on leave from Seattle's OneWorld America's
Cup campaign. The instructors concentrated on specialty groups of Lasers,
Laser Radials, 29ers, 420s, Club Flying Juniors and Europes.

Malm, who has coached at the clinic since 1992, said one difference he
noted in working the two-person CFJs was "the size of the kids seems a
little smaller. We had seven teams under [a combined] 270 pounds. Most of
these boats you'd want to weigh more than 270. But this year we had more
kids in a boat for their size.

"If you're 130 or less, CFJs, 29ers or even 420s are best. If you're 130 or
more you can drive all the boats at this clinic, [although] the Lasers
might be tough. The ideal weight would be 160, but there were guys here
that were 195 and are great Laser sailors. You can manage a light boat in
the upper wind ranges, but you have to work extra hard."

Six of the students will be competing in the Youth Worlds in Nova Scotia in
July---Philip Muller of Ft. Pierce, Fla.; Molly Carapiet, Belvedere,
Calif.; Mallory McCollum, Concord, Calif.; Alex Bernal, Santa Barbara,
Calif.; Tedd White, Santa Barbara, and Paige Railey, Clearwater, Fla.
Doyle and Feeny will coach.

Evening talks were presented by Ken Read and Peter Isler, helmsman and
navigator, respectively, for Team Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes; Keith
Kilpatrick, a Long Beach resident who survived a debilitating illness
aboard Amer Sports One in the Southern Ocean during the Volvo Ocean Race,
and Howard Hamlin and Mike Martin, who won the 18 Foot Skiff international
championship in Australia this year.

After three days of intense instruction, the clinic climaxed with a Sunday
regatta.

CISA supports amateur sailors by providing travel grants for regional,
national and international competition and also funds local sailing
programs and racing clinics. Unlike other nations whose governments back
their top prospects, the U.S. has no federally supported assistance
programs for its amateur sportsmen or for the development of young talent.

CISA, a 501.(c)3 organization, relies on contributions of corporations and
individuals. Because it is non-profit and tax-exempt, all contributions are
tax deductible.

CALIFORNIA INTERNATIONAL SAILING ASSOCIATION
P.O. Box 17992
Irvine, CA 92713-7992
www.cisasailing.org

President Tim Hogan, 3090 Pullman Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 434-4400
[email protected]

PUBLICITY
Rich Roberts
(310) 835-2526
[email protected]

 


 
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