Still Spots Available to Learn to Sail & High School Racing Class!
Charleston Community Sailing has a great reputation of excellent summer sailing programs. This summer, we will continue to offer one of the best sailing programs in South Carolina. We teach classes to Junior sailors ages 10-18 in all levels of sailing instruction from beginner sailor to advanced racer. All inquiries should be emailed to info@charlestoncommunitysailing.org.
CHECK US OUT IN THE POST & COURIER June 26, 2008
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CCSI Cohosts US Sailing Women’s Championship with CofC.
This past weekend, two teams of local female sailors participated in quarter finals of U.S. Sailing’s Adams Trophy competition, held at the College of Charleston’s Walker Sailing Center in J/22 sailboats. The Adams Trophy is an event solely for women.
The locals represent Charleston Ocean Racing Association, and the participants consisted of a team comprised of Jenny Gervais, Sarah Schaill, Katie Hughes and Jessica Koenig, and another team comprised of Betsy Pilcher, Mary Palazzo, Kara McFadden and Amy Ironmonger. Both teams qualified to move on to the semifinals at the C of C center July 5-6.
Jessica Koenig, who is also executive director of Charleston Community Sailing, said, “The Adams Trophy is a great experience, and we were able to compete against other area female sailors who share our passion for the sport, which is dominated by men. I hope we can encourage other female sailors to compete in years to come.”
The finals will be held in Oklahoma. Information about the Adams and other U.S. Sailing competitions is available at www.ussailing.org.
Article by Will Haynie, Post & Courier. 6/27/08
Special Olympic Athletes Compete for the 3rd Annual Special Olympics Open Regatta, at the James Island Yacht Club.
Opening Ceremonies were held Friday evening at the JIYC. Spectators were treated to a grand show by the United States Cost Guard helicopter and boats manned by off-duty volunteers from the US Coast Guard, Charleston County Rescue Squad, Charleston County Sheriff’s Department, and the Department of Natural Resources. The crew raced across the harbor from Patriots Point, carrying Nikki Caniff, SO Sailing athlete from South Carolina, to the shore. Nikki, assisted by Jill Holly, torchbearer for the Law Enforcement Torch Run, and Harold Phillips from the Charleston County Sheriff’s Department, ran the torch from the shore to ignite the cauldron, officially signaling the commencement of the games. The evening was capped off with a display of fireworks courtesy of Paul Grizzle.
Conditions were perfect for the three day regatta. Forty athletes and their Unified Partners participated in this year’s event which featured nine 420 races and five Hobie 16 races. There were 14 teams sailing level one and one team of level 2. In level one the athlete controls the jib and the unified partner steers and controls the main sail. Level 2 the athlete steers 50% of the race and the unified partner controls the jib and main sail.
Complete Race Results:
(Athlete/Unified Partner)
Hobie Fleet 1
1 Sam Hazeltine/Wayne Hiott - South Carolina
2 Tyler Campell/Phil Martin - Georgia
3 Bill Bondurant/Dayton Collie – South Carolina
4 Joshua Sloman/Alan Sloman – Georgia
5 Buddy Croft/Steve Bonacci - Georgia
Hobie Fleet 2
1 Breanna Bachert/John Parker – South Carolina
2 Whitney Parker/Adam Matgi-Szabo – South Carolina
3 Eddie Griffin/Cheryl Laporte– Georgia
4 Shannon Waldrop/Steve Bonacci– Georgia
Hobie Fleet 3
1 Michael Crofton/Debbie Parrish- Georgia
2 Dylan Starr/Rose Tucker – Georgia
3 Jay Feiner/Carol Feiner– Florida
4 Laura Hollinger/Annmarie Keck – Florida
5 Danielle Coholich/Anita Godbee- Georgia
420s
1 Chris Pilcher/Mike Palazzo- South Carolina
2 Nikki Caniff/Peter Hyndman - South Carolina
3 Sara Chavis /Caroline Warren - South Carolina
4 Daryl Malone /John Sanders– South Carolina
5 Daniel Brown/Thomas Hildebrand – South Carolina
6 Mike Mallamas/Melanie Simmons – Florida
Level 2
1 James Thigpen /Phil Martin – Georgia
Special Olympics is an experience that is energizing, healthy, skillful, welcoming and joyful, not just for the athletes, but for the partners, parents, and volunteers. The athletes joy at winning medals, enthusiasm for participation, and positive spirit are beyond inspiring and incredibly humbling.
The Athletes, Unified Partners, parents, and volunteers are very grateful to all the sponsors in the community who helped make this event possible through donations of supplies and funds.
The Special Olympics Sailing team launched in Spring 2005 partnered with Charleston Community Sailing, Special Olympics South Carolina and the James Island Yacht Club. Since the programs inception, the team has doubled in size, with eight teams competing. Paired with a Unified Partner, the athletes learn sailing terms, theory, racing strategy, and boat handling. Teams compete in regional events spanning the south east and hope to eventually sail in events throughout the country and the world.
In 2007, Meta Frasch, Head of SO Sailing SC attended Summer World Games in China as the Assistant Coach for the US SO Sailing team. She returned with more enthusiasm and desire to have a SC team in Greece in 2011.
Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of sports for those with intellectual disabilities. Through the Olympics, athletes are given continuous opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendships with their families, and other Special Olympics athletes as well as the community, improving their lives and, in turn, the lives of everyone they touch. For more information about Special Olympics and programs in the Lowcountry contact Lucy Swaffield, CTRS District 2 Program Director at 795-6226 or email LucySwaffield@bellsouth.net.
If you would like to volunteer as a Unified Partner, join the team as an athlete, assist in sailing activities, or sponsor the Special Olympics Sailing Program, contact Charleston Community Sailing at 843-607-4890 or Meta Frasch, Special Olympics South Carolina Sailing Director, at 843-795-9667. This program is free of cost to athletes and Unified Partners. Athletes must be strong swimmers with no reservations about open water. No sailing experience is necessary. Unified Partners must be able to single hand a Collegiate 420 if need be, and be very comfortable in the dinghy. Unified Partners also have a major part in teaching their partner what they need to know in sailing. Good candidates should be patient and calm and above all looking for a good time.
