Paloma Arrigo, first female and second overall in shifty lake conditions at Lake Hubbard, Texas, 2024 District 15 ILCA Championships

2024 ILCA District 15 Championships

When we decided to head to Dallas for the District 15 Championships November 9th and 10th, 2024, I looked forward to gaining some lake sailing experience. We braved thunder and lightning storms and a flight diversion to Houston but arrived at Love Field, Dallas, looking forward to a new adventure.

Thank you to the Newport Harbor Sailing Foundation for supporting my team and I and the VX One North Americans Warm up Event. The VX One Class organized a two-day warm-up regatta on November 9-10, 2024, at Shake-A-Leg Miami, leading up to the 2024 North American Championship. The event featured 20 boats and enjoyed classic Miami conditions, with winds ranging from 14 to 20 knots over both days. Competitors completed four races each day, totaling eight races for the event. Additionally, on the first day, several practice races were conducted utilizing Vakaros RaceSense technology, a tool that has become a favorite within the class for its advanced race management capabilities. 

I would like to start this letter by thanking the Newport Harbor Sailing Foundation for supporting my experiences at the C420 US Nationals Championship, CJ Buckley, C420 South Shore Championships and C420 North Americans regattas this summer.

I am so grateful that I was able to sail three regattas this summer, C420 North Americans, CJ Buckley Youth National Team Racing and C420 National Championship. I experienced fun and exciting challenges throughout each regatta.

North Americans in Redwood City, California was a tough but fun regatta. Conditions were extreme, with 20-25 knot winds. We were one of the lightest teams in the top 10. The wind helped push my skipper and I to the next level making us use all our strength. We finished in 8th out of 106 boats.

My crew Isabella Clark and I placed 20th/105 boats at this event. Out of the 4 race days and 2 practice days there was only 2 races completed in less than 18kts some days even racing in consistent 22kts plus. It was very challenging due to the very strong winds and super strong current on very log courses. The big wind and current caused the waves to be gnarly and
made it difficult to find the next mark. 

On July 27th, Garrett and I arrived in Torbole, Lake Garda for the International 14 World Championships. After several years in the pointy end of the US fleet, we had high hopes for good results. A combination of weight loss from travel sickness, boat breakdowns and slow upwind speed in breeze disappointed these hopes, but my takeaways from this event, I’ve come to see, are far more valuable to my growth as a sailor than another trophy.

After spending many years on the Olympic sailing circuit, the I14 boat park at the Worlds was a bit of a culture shock. Everyone wants to be your friend. While there is a healthy competition, particularly at the front end of the fleet, the majority of the competitors are simply happy to be there. No one’s ego or self worth seems all that attached to their scoreline. They love their boats, they are excited to exchange knowledge and see what other countries might be developing differently, they’re happy to see old friends and welcome newcomers.