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VI’s Morell holds on to lift Smythe Trophy @ US Jr C/ships

- represented USVI club
Local Sailor, Sam Morell, sailing a Byte CII, lifted the Smythe Trophy after a tense last day at the 2015 Chubb U.S. Junior Sailing Championships hosted by Wianno Yacht Club, Cape Cod, USA. Photo: Provided
The battle for the Smythe Trophy came down to the wire, as leader Sam Morrell, listed as sailing out of Red Hook, St Thomas, tried to hold on to his one-point lead over Joseph Hou (Newport Beach, Calif.). Photo: bviolympics.org/File
The battle for the Smythe Trophy came down to the wire, as leader Sam Morrell, listed as sailing out of Red Hook, St Thomas, tried to hold on to his one-point lead over Joseph Hou (Newport Beach, Calif.). Photo: bviolympics.org/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Local Sailor, Sam Morell, sailing a Byte CII, lifted the Smythe Trophy after a tense last day at the 2015 Chubb U.S. Junior Sailing Championships hosted by Wianno Yacht Club, Cape Cod, USA.

As the Regatta wrapped up, there was one race in each of the three championship fleets and after a brief morning postponement, steady breezes moved in from the Southwest on Nantucket Sound later in the morning for the final race of the regatta.

The battle for the Smythe Trophy came down to the wire, as leader Sam Morrell, listed as sailing out of Red Hook, St Thomas, 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 the second day of racing with three consecutive wins, catching up with Hou, who had dashed out to an early lead in this fleet 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.”

Final Standings (Top 5 of 20; 10 races, 1 discard)

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

6 Responses to “VI’s Morell holds on to lift Smythe Trophy @ US Jr C/ships”

  • Right Sed Fred (11/08/2015, 08:50) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Young Hiho boy is bad misson!
  • BVIslander (11/08/2015, 10:44) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    It says he sailed for the St. Thomas Yacht Club..How does that work?
    • duh (11/08/2015, 11:45) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      He trains in St Thomas and is a member of their yacht club however he is a BVI Islander who's home is here. The same way Ms Harrigan trains and lives in the US but is a BVI representative.
  • one eye (11/08/2015, 13:59) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
    so many local children sailing and I do not see any here
    • eh (12/08/2015, 04:38) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      Das cause yuh only got one eye Sam is as local as they come he is no different than the majority of us!


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