July 16 Update

July 16, 2020

Let’s be proud that most if not all of our junior sailing programs found ways to get kids safely sailing at their home clubs this summer, whether singlehanded, or using the cohort/Quaranteam model. Thanks to onshore buffs, sanitizer, backpack sanitizing sprayers, handwashing and lots of Vitamin D/UV light and fresh air!

I-LYA Regatta and JO Update:

We were hoping to be able to offer a late summer set of junior Traveler Series regattas. However, with the positive coronavirus testing percentage numbers remaining above the CDC threshold of 5%, we are not comfortable mixing juniors and parents from at least 4 states in our Traveler Series junior regattas. They are now all officially cancelled. Local or team v team scrimmages might be set up between teams, but are not official I-LYA events. Please feel free to work with the individual club coaches to set something up. On August 8 Hoover is hosting an intra-club invitational between hoover, Buckeye, Leatherlips and Cowan.

The 2020 US Junior Olympic Sailing Festival for Lake Erie is also cancelled, but US Sailing launched a Virtual JO with an opportunity to get the annual t-shirt! See the following link for more information on participating: https://www.ussailing.org/competition/youth-sailing/junior-olympic-sailing-festival/virtual-junior-olympic-event/ An October JO in Macatawa Bay, Michigan is still on the calendar.

Laser sailors

The districts at Foundry and regionals at Rochester are still moving forward (although currently Ohioans can't travel to New York!). Other adult/junior events are happening this summer including a Laser regatta scheduled for August 1 at Hoover Sailing Club. Much like the North Cape regatta last weekend, this will offer starts for full rig, radials and 4.7's for kids and adults alike. Please contact Matt Fisher for more detail. matthewvfisher@gmail.com. A District 19 3-day event No Coast Regatta has details on Regatta Network. Please note: these regattas are not endorsed by the I-LYA Junior Council.

Level 1 Instructor Candidates

If you took the online portions of the Level 1 Small Boat Instructor course and are awaiting the in-person course, we too are waiting on clearance for an instructor trainer to come to Ohio. This may have to be a fall 2020 or spring 2021 certification completion. But rest assured we are in constant communication with US Sailing to make sure our region is on their waitlist and that you won't lose your investment of time or money on the course if they can't get an IT here in a reasonable amount of time. We are working on setting up courses in Mentor in August, and Columbus and somewhere between Cleveland and Mentor in the Spring. Please let us know if your site is willing to host - would be really great if we could get a Western training site. It takes a 2 day weekend, several 420s, 2 safety boats and a large enough classroom space for 12 people plus 1 instructor.

Looking ahead to the Fall

We are still optimistic that fall High School Sailing will take place in our region. Please stay in contact with either the Foundry, Hoover Sailing Club or the newly formed group at Leatherlips Yacht Club for further details.

Program Managers: On Tuesday July 22, at 6p EST go to the US Sailing Starboard Portal. John Pearce from US Sailing invited me to participate on a panel with Jen Guimares from US Sailing and Mark Zagol from New England Science and Sailing to talk about finding Fall Sailing Opportunities in the age of COVID!

Be safe, enjoy the rest of the summer, and make the most of being outside and on the water, while you can!

Best,

Kathy Allyn

I-LYA Junior Council Chair