BVI’s 16-year old Sam Morrell competing at the 2015 Chubb US Junior Sailing Championships, won the Smythe Trophy U.S. Junior Single handed Championship which was sailed in the Byte CII fleet.
The event, which took place in Cape Cod from August 2 -6, 2015, was hosted by the Wianno Yacht Club, Osterville, Massachusetts.
Approximately 100 of the U.S.A.’s top youth sailors competed for the renowned Smythe Trophy, Bemis Trophy, and Sears Cup in single handed, double handed, and quadruple handed competition.
The battle for the Smythe Trophy came down to the wire, as leader Sam Morrell (Redhook, USVI) tried to hold on to his one-point lead over Joseph Hou (Newport Beach, Calif.).
“I tried to match race him today to the bottom half of the fleet,” explained Morrell. “On the downwind he passed me and other boats, but he finished sixth and couldn’t place worse than fifth in order to pass me for the lead in the standings.”
Morrell went on to win the championship by just two points. He finished strong on Wednesday with three consecutive wins.
Hou dashed out to an early lead in this fleet on Monday by winning the first four races of the championship.
Morrell, who placed third last year, said “I trained really hard this year. The conditions were better for me here. Everything started to break my way, especially at the end of the regatta. The first half of the regatta I was trying to re-learn the Byte. I’m really stoked to win and Joe is such a good sailor.”
As the winner of the single handed event, Morrell will earn early acceptance to the U.S. Youth Sailing Championships should he decide to apply.
Morrell, placed third in last year’s Smythe Championships in Michigan. He has also represented the BVI in the 2014 Youth Olympics in China.
Final Standings: Top 5
1. Sam Morrell, St. Thomas Yacht Club, 5-2-3-2-1-4-1-1-1-[18]- ; 20
2. Joseph Hou, Newport Harbor Yacht Club, 1-1-1-1-2-2-5-[7]-3-6- ; 22
3. Gerard Eastman, Seawanhaka Corinthian YC, 3-4-9-[10]-7-3-2-4-2-9- ; 43
4. Jack Bitney, Minnetonka Yacht Club, 6-3-2-[18]-5-1-7-5-5-10- ; 44
5. Lucas Pierce, Santa Barbara Yacht Club, 8-6-4-3-3-7-6-9-[12]-2- ; 48
Watch the Chubb Jr. Championships 2015 Recap