2010 Midwest Junior Olympics

Created by

Kurt Thomsen

: Columbia Yacht Club is proud to be hosting the 2010 Midwest Junior Olympic Regatta. US SAILING's Junior Olympic Sailing Program is a nationwide series of regattas for youth ages 8 to 21. Each event in this family of regattas is hosted by a different club or organization, but all events share a common goal: to promote the enjoyment of sailing and development of skills to young sailors as well as provide an Olympic pathway for talented junior sailors. Events mix Olympic-style competition with elements of learning and fun for all levels--from beginning racers to those with Olympic aspirations. In 2010, 25 events are planned in the continental United States and Hawaii and over 4,000 sailors expected to participate. Junior Olympic Sailing is coordinated by US SAILING and sponsored by West Marine, Gill, Active.com and Hobie sunglasses. This year we are excited to have Hunter Ratliff as the head coach of the clinic being held on Friday the 25th of June. Hunter learned to sail in Michigan at the Macatawa Bay Yacht Club at the young age of 6. He soon learned to race, and was hooked. By age 12, he was invited to sail for Chicago Yacht Club’s junior racing team. He sailed under their burgee for the remainder of his junior sailing. Hunter was the top sailor at Marquette University and sailed as much as he could throughout college while also perusing his other passion, theatre. Hunter has 8 years of coaching experience, and is one of twenty US Sailing Level III certified racing coaches in the country. He is currently the head sailing coach at Lake Forest Sailing, in IL. Since starting at Lake Forest in 2005, he has taken his teams to 9 national championships, a top 3 finish and a number 1 Midwest ranking.