Sears Cup 2022- BHYC team

BHYC sailors made it to the Sears Cup National championship in Michigan!

The Sears Cup is the oldest and most prestigious Junior trophy in the country. Begun in 1921 by Commodore Sears of the Eastern Yacht Club, in Marblehead, MA, it became a national trophy for triple-handed sailing in 1930 for sailors aged 12-18. The cup was founded "to promote seamanship and sportsmanship in youth sailing" and that is still the goal.

BHYC has only sent five teams to the Sears Cup in its 100-year history. (If you remember us saying three, that was indeed what we were told last year, but thanks to long-long-long-time member Bill Hunt for correcting us.) The first team was in 1955 when BHYC hosted the Sears Cup, the second was in the 70s (any details welcome), the third was in 1991 when BHYC sent the first all-female team in Sears Cup history, skippered by Jen Steane Dreische with Sarah Brooks Snell and Ginny Flower Marvin. The second was last year in 2021, exactly thirty years later with Arden and Piper Carleton, Toby Clarkson, and Otto Schoenthal. Qualifying again this year is both an honor and a hard-fought goal.

The qualifier in Marblehead, MA, was sailed in Sonars with winds averaging 20 mph. The team excelled, taking three firsts and two seconds for a score of 7. A special and grateful thanks to Holden Langenhagen for attending the qualifier, which allowed for four sailors despite the national Sears Cup NOR requiring only triple-handed teams.

In Michigan, the triple-haded trophy will be sailed in VX Ones. An exciting and developing class. Though not foiling boats, they are considered a 'hot-rod' dinghy, very technical and weight sensitive - far faster than the Sonars - and very new to our sailors!

Toby Clarkson, a rising homeschooled junior, and Otto Schoenthal, a rising sophomore at Lincoln Academy in Newcastle, are racing the Sears Cup for their second consecutive year. Both currently work at BHYC in the Junior Sailing Program. Last year's fourth-place national finish, an excellent placement for the team, motivated them to keep working and return this year. Alton Coolidge, the eldest of the sailors, just turned 18 and graduated this Spring from Lincoln Academy. Sailing longer than he can remember, he spent most of his remote-learning years sailing and racing his Laser. He has been sailing with BHYC/BRSC for six years. He will attend Olin College this fall. All three sail for BHYC in the summer and for Lincoln Academy in fall and spring. Lincoln Academy high school sailors qualified for two national regattas last fall, the Atlantic Coast Championship and the National High School Keelboat Championship.

This appeal is for funds to offset the cost of sailors' travel, housing, registration, and boat charter. The Sears Cup final is at Macatawa Yacht Club on Lake Michigan. This is an incredible opportunity and huge honor for these young sailors - and they thank you for your support. Sail Fast!