10th annual U.S. Youth Match Racing Championship for the Rose Cup this week in San Diego

2018 U.S. Youth Match Racing Championship © Francis George / Oakcliff

A talented and accomplished collection of the best youth match racers in the country have touched down in sunny Southern California this week for the 2019 U.S. Youth Match Racing Championship for the Rose Cup, hosted by the San Diego Yacht Club. Racing begins Friday, June 28 and concludes Sunday, June 30.

Celebrating its 10th annual running, this invitational event for 16 to 20 year olds has served as an outstanding training ground for U.S. youth sailors who are passionate about match racing and focused on competing at the next level.

Ten teams of four, consisting of at least one female and one male crew per boat, will be racing the J/22. Coaching and instruction will play a major role in these sailors' experience. Five-time U.S. Match Racing Champion, Dave Perry, will lead a North U Advanced Match Racing Clinic on Wednesday and Thursday, June 26 and 27. Perry will be assisted by match racing expert, Mike Pinckney.

"I'm really excited to work with the 40 sailors competing this week at the U.S. Youth Match Racing Championship," said Perry. "They are the best youth match racers in the country and will soon be competing at the college level and for the U.S. Match Racing Championship."

Six of the 10 skippers from the 2018 U.S. Youth Match Racing Championship in Oyster Bay, N.Y. will return to compete for the Rose Cup again this year in San Diego. The top skipper from this year's Rose Cup will receive an invitation to compete at the 2019 Governor's Cup in July, hosted by the Balboa Yacht Club (Calif.). The top skipper will also receive an invitation to race at the 2019 Oakcliff Halloween Invitational at Oakcliff Sailing (N.Y.) in October.

Racing will take place in San Diego Harbor. The racing format will consist of a round robin stage, quarterfinals, semifinals, finals, and consolation races.

Originally known as the Rose Cup, this event was founded by members of the Balboa Yacht Club and the Newport Balboa Sailing and Seamanship Association (NBSSA), and was started as an invitational youth match race event in 2010. The mission is to promote youth match racing in the U.S. and improve the skills of racers from around the country in national and international competition. In 2015, US Sailing elevated the Rose Cup to an official US Sailing National Championship.