Bay sailors flourish on Lake Erie
Have you ever been sailing on beautiful Lake Erie? Ask the sailors from Bay Sailing what it feels like. The Bay Sailing team at the Foundry will be competing at the ISSA National High School Championships in Cleveland on June 5 and 6. Bay joins St. Ignatius High School in advancing to the Mallory High School Championship regatta that will crown the best high school sailing team in the USA. Twenty teams advancing to the championship will converge on Cleveland all the way from the Virgin Islands to California to Florida.
Spring sailing season at the Foundry offers sailors an opportunity to compete in tier one, tier two and tier three regattas in grades 7 through 12. The Foundry Community Rowing and Sailing Center located in the Flats of Cleveland along the banks of the Cuyahoga River provides safe, developmental programs for middle and high school students participating in the sports of rowing and sailing. No experience is necessary. Both sailing and rowing are exceptional options for young adults teaching tenacity, perseverance, problem solving and competence. Students report that they feel connected to the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie. Most importantly, both sports reward focus and effort while teaching what it means to be part of a team.
To prepare for the qualifier and the national regatta, area sail teams at the Foundry have been training in two-person dinghy sailboats – the 420 dinghy is an international class recognized by the International Sailing Federation. The high school sailing program is the fastest-growing coed sport today. The Midwest region is now the largest district in high school sailing, with nearly two dozen active teams between Cleveland and Columbus.
The Bay Rockets placed second at the pre-qualifier regatta in Westerville, Ohio, in late April of this year and placed first in the qualifier two weeks ago in Cleveland. The high school sailing team is made up of one senior, five juniors, one sophomore and one freshman. Spectators are welcome and invited to watch the competition from the Cleveland Metroparks' Wendy Park, where all the action takes place in the Cleveland Harbor June 5 and 6.