Cedar Point Yacht Club Junior Race Week
written by Erin Wojdaszka
July 24th saw a fantastic turnout at Cedar Point Yacht Club for their 2025 Junior Race Week—a highlight of the summer for young sailors and families alike. The parking lot was packed with trailers, Fevas, ILCAs, and Club 420s, lining up alongside a buzzing crowd of coaches, parents, and eager racers. Some kids launched from the sandy beach, others rigged up at the ramp and tied off to the docks, everyone hustling after the competitors’ meeting to get those final sails rigged before the harbor start.
Mother Nature delivered a true test: steady breezes with strong gusts, enough chop to keep even the old hands alert, and rolling 1-2 foot waves. But the race committee kept it smooth and safe, splitting the fleet into two courses—ILCAs near the mouth of the Saugatuck River, and the Fevas and Club 420s a bit farther out. With CPYC Race Week falling late in the season, this regatta was the last qualifying event for JSA Champs, making it a must-perform for juniors in Club 420, Feva, and ILCA classes, so every tack, jibe, and start counted. As sailors rounded the windward mark you could see the need to get out in front, but you could also see the smiles as they went by. Being one of the last regattas of the season, these racers have competed all summer long and you could see the relationships they have built both during a race, before and after the races too.
Junior Race Week is more than scoring points or competitive sailing. Sure, the competitive spirit was dialed up—qualifying brings that out in everyone—but these events are also about learning. It is important for coaches to review in their junior sailing programs, the rules on right of way, how to decide when to stand on or avoid a collision, and that vital skill: keeping cool under pressure. Sailing in multiple events helps create a learning environment that is just as much about being part of a team, looking out for your crewmate, and being responsible for your gear as it is about crossing the finish line first.
True to CPYC style, the regatta spirit didn’t stop out on the course. There was plenty of regatta wear, breakfast bars to fuel up both mornings, dinner and music on Thursday night, snacks, and—of course—an awards ceremony on Friday to celebrate effort as much as achievement.
Congrats to everyone who hit the line, whether you clinched a spot for Champs or just trimmed your sails a little smoother. Junior Race Week at CPYC keeps reminding us that sailing is not just about results, but about sailing hard, respecting the water—and making memories we’ll never forget. View all the results at this link.
