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James Pine took first place in the 16 and Under division of the International Laser Class Association (ILCA) 4 Youth World Championships, and he finished 2nd overall. There were 438 competitors in all divisions representing 54 nations.
The other four South Carolina Yacht Club competitors, three boys, and a girl, also performed exceedingly well despite extremely adverse heat and wind conditions according to SCYC Yachting Director and Sailing Instructor, Mark Newman. During the week of races, raging wildfires were taking place on land near the Volos, Greece regatta site north of Athens along the coast of the Aegean Sea. As per news reports, racing was canceled on one day due to 106-degree temperatures, with virtually no wind, and then a sudden 45-knot windstorm overwhelmed the competition on another.
TOP TRAINING FACILITY -- The South Carolina Yacht Club has in recent years become known as a top training venue and facility for junior racers along the East Coast under Newman's guidance. Newman said the SCYC contingent of racers was able to “rise above the difficult sailing conditions, particularly James Pine, whom Newman describes as “probably one of the top young sailors in the world right now, and most likely a future Olympian.”
“To have five of our young people qualify to compete at a premier world championship competition in a single year was a big feather in our cap, and will hopefully encourage more talented young sailors from around the country to consider training here on Hilton Head Island,” said Newman.
QUALIFYING FOR WORLDS -- To qualify for the Youth World Championships, members of the USA Team had to demonstrate peak performances in Olympic Class Regattas and other national competitions within the past year.
In Greece, James Pine’s twin brother Nathan finished in 76th place in the top gold tier and was the 4th of 14 American racers. Bode Snider was 191st and Will Bryant 261st. Also, Arabella Duer, a rising star in the girls’ division, finished 58th out of 160 competitors and was the third best American of 12 USA entries. The overall boys’ division includes racers up to age 17. James Pine, who is 15, finished 2nd in the overall competition, bested only by Bhanubandh Weka of Thailand.
“The SCYC team of seasoned international participants, like the Pike twins, plus first-timers did exactly as we had hoped,” said Newman, sounding like a proud father. “They exceptionally represented their yacht club and our membership as well as our nation. We could not be more proud of these five young people that we as a sailing community on Hilton Head Island supported on this journey.”
ABOUT THE ILCA 4 SAILBOAT – Formerly simply known as the “Laser” the ILCA 4 is the most popular small boat for young sailors in the world. It is a type of dingy so-named for its 4.7 square meters of sail area. It is a single-handed boat. The ILCA 7 is the Olympic single-handed boat for men.
ABOUT SCYC - Located in a gated neighborhood community called Windmill Harbour, the South Carolina Yacht Club was established in 1989 by J.R. and Leslie Richardson, and provides an ideal training venue for young sailors. The Windmill Harbour Marina fronts directly on the Intracoastal Waterway just beyond the bridge from the South Carolina mainland. The 15.5-acre harbor provides a safe, tide-free haven protected by a lock system. The town of Hilton Head Island is best known as a world-renowned golf and beach destination. One of its initial developers, Charles Fraser, (known best for creating the celebrated Sea Pines Resort) was a devoted sailing enthusiast and was instrumental in founding the Windmill Harbour community together with the Richardsons.
Tom Gardo
Denarius Group PR
+1 843-384-0672
[email protected]
