USSA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Each year the United States Sailing Association (USSA) sponsors a number of national championship regattas. You must meet the USSA eligibility requirements, follow the NJYRA entry instructions and you must win the appropriate qualifying event in your association (NJYRA) and Area (Area C) to be eligibility to participate in these regattas.
Follow the links below for a description The USSA National Championships
| U.S. Junior Sailing Championship | Sears Cup |
| U.S. Junior Doublehanded Sailing Championship | F. Gregg Bemis Trophy |
| U.S. Junior Singlehanded Sailing Championship | D. Verner Smythe Trophy |
| U.S. Junior Boardsailing Championship | Massachusetts Bay Trophy |
| U.S. Men’s Sailing Championship | Clifford D. Mallory Cup |
| U.S. Women’s Sailing Championship | Mrs. Charles Francis Adams Trophy |
| U.S. Singlehanded Sailing Championship | George D. O'Day Trophy |
| U.S. Match Racing | The Prince of Wales Bowl |
| US Team Racing Championship | Hinman Trophy |
The class boat used for each of these championship regattas varies from year to year. The Association and Area events are sailed in the same class as the final when ever possible.
In addition to sponsoring the in the Association level championship ladder events the NJYRA sponsors. North Jersey Yacht Racing Association Women’s Singlehanded Championship, and qualifying regattas for the Middle Atlantic Midget Championship
All of these regattas are planned and run by NJYRA Member Yacht Clubs in accordance with the NJYRA recommendations.
Membership and Eligibility Requirements for Competitors in USSA National Championships
All contestants, including alternates must be
- Amateurs as defined by Appendix I of the racing rules.
- Members of USSA to compete at the Area level and above.
- Members, (or have family membership privilege) of a yacht club or yacht club junior program; the yacht club must be a member of a yacht racing association recognized by USSA,
- Members of a yacht club belonging directly to USSA in order to compete at the Area eliminations and the finals.
- Crews entering these series are expected to continue through the finals when they qualify.
UNITED STATES JUNIOR SAILING CHAMPIONSHIPS
U.S. Junior Sailing Championship - The Sears Cup
U.S. -Junior Doublehanded Sailing Championship - The F. Gregg Bemis Trophy
U.S. Junior Singlehanded Sailing Championship - The D. Verner Smythe Trophy
Eligibility
1 . In addition to the requirements under Membership above, contestants must be members of the same yacht club or junior program.
2. Contestants must have reached their thirteenth, but not their nineteenth, birthday during the calendar year in which they compete.
A yacht club may enter crews or (singlehanded) helmsman in only one YRA elimination for each of the three junior championships.
4. No crew member or skipper/helmsman after participating or being entered in any yacht club, YRA, or area elimination series may be a crew member or skipper/ helmsman from another yacht club in this championship in the same year except as a "substitute" under Section 4, Event General Regulations,
No crew member or skipper/helmsman may participate in or enter more than one of the three junior championships, plus the boardsailing championship, at the YRA or area level in any one year except as an "alternate" under Section 4, General Regulations. NOTE: It is recognized that exceptions to this regulation have been permitted in a certain few association quarter-finals for good reason. In such instances, association officials must notify the area representative well in advance of the series.
U.S. Junior Boardsailing Championship - The Massachusetts Bay Trophy
Eligibility
1. All contestants must be:
(a) Amateurs as defined by Appendix 1 of the racing rules.
(b) Members of USSA to compete at the Area (Semi-final) Championship and Finals. Family or Youth membership qualify, Yacht club membership not required.
2. Contestants must have reached their thirteenth, but not their eighteenth birthday during the calendar year in which they compete.
3. Contestants may enter only one YRA (if any) or Area Championship.
U.S. MEN'S SAILING CHAMPIONSHIP
For the Clifford D. Mallory Cup
Eligibility
1. The skipper/helmsman, who must be male, and crew, who may be of either sex, must have reached their 18th birthdays on or before December 31 of the year in which they compete.
2. A yacht club may enter a crew in only one association elimination for any championship.
3. No crew member or skipper/helmsman, after participating or being entered in any yacht club, association or area elimination series may be a crew member or skipper/ helmsman from another yacht club in this championship in the same year, except as a substitute as specified under Section 4, Event General Regulations.
4. For NJYRA level all crew must be from same club.
U.S. WOMENS' SAILING CHAMPIONSHIP
For the Mrs. Charles Francis Adams Trophy
1. The skipper/helmsman and all members of the crew must be female. Each must have reached her 18th birthday during the year in which the series is held, except for one crew member who must have reached her 15th birthday; this member may not act as helmsman.
2. A yacht club may enter a crew in only one association elimination for any championship.
3. No crew member or skipper/helmsman after participating or being entered on any team in an association or area elimination series may be a crew member or skipper/helmsman for any other team in this championship in the same year, except as a substitute under Section 4, Event General Regulations.
U.S. SINGLEHANDED SAILING CHAMPIONSHIP
For the George D. O'Day Trophy
1. Skippers must have reached their sixteenth birthday during the year in which the series is conducted.
2. A yacht club may enter a skipper in only one association elimination for any championship.
For the Prince of Wales Bowl
Eligibility
1 . Each person comprised in a club's team must
- be an "amateur" as defined in Appendix I to be racing rules,
- be a member (or entitled to family membership privileges) of that club,
- not have competed for any other club in POW matches leading to the USSA Finals for the same year, and
- at the area level and above be a USSA member.
- In addition, for the Finals such person must have been a member of the club when the club's Area Championship ended
2. The competition is between yacht clubs themselves and not between specifically designated persons. There is no restriction on the age or sex of participants. Any member of the team may take the helm at any time. Unlimited substitution of team members (including skipper) is permitted from one round to the next. If, however, two rounds (e.g. YRA semi-finals and finals) are to be sailed off as one single uninterrupted series, the combination shall be considered as a single round for purposes of team determination.
For the Hinman Trophy
1. The George R. Hinman Trophy is the USSA Team Racing Championship. Each Team consists of six individuals, each of whom must belong to USSA, who man three doublehanded boats.
2. SkippersandcrewsmustberesidentsoftheAreatheyrepresentandmayenteronly their own Area eliminations.
MIDDLE ATLANTIC MIDGET CHAMPIONSHIP
Eligibility
1. The Middle Atlantic Midget Championship is open to amateurs, and members of each crew may be boys or girls who will not reach their fifteenth birthday during the calendar year in which they compete.
- All members of each crew must be themselves, or their parents or guardians must be, members of the same yacht club; the club must be a member in good standing of one of the following USSA Associations:
Eastern Connecticut Yacht Racing Association
Hudson River Yacht Racing Association
Great South Bay Yacht Racing Association
Eastern Long Island Yacht Racing Association
North Jersey Yacht Racing Association
Barnegat Bay Yacht Racing Association
South -Jersey Yacht Racing Association
Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association
3. No crew or helmsman after participating or being entered in the midget elimination series for another Middle Atlantic Midget Championship Association, including a yacht club elimination series, can be a member of a crew from another club for the Championship Association, in any one year.
4. A club can enter a crew in only one Association or group elimination. Individuals who belong to more than one yacht club may represent only one yacht club in these races.
N.B.
1. Each participant must supply his own USCG approved wearable notation gear.
2. Use of spinnakers is left to the discretion of the race committee running the event.
NORTH JERSEY YACHT RACING ASSOCIATION
Women’s Singlehanded Championship
The first NJYRA Women's Singlehanded Championship was sailed in Sunfish at Spray Beach Yacht Club in l978. The idea for such an event grew out of a need expressed in a survey of women sailors in the United States. The event is designed to serve the interests of female sailors who wish to compete against other women at the Association level in a class which will emphasize boat preparation and sailing skill The regatta is organized along traditional one-design lines; no eliminations are required, and each contestant brings her own boat. The event is rotated between various clubs in NJYRA. The 1978 North Jersey event was the first such event in USSA.
For those who sail on a more advanced level the USSA Women’s' National Championship for singlehanded, doublehanded, and boardboats are available. Those finishing in the top three places in these events go on to the IYRU Women’s' World Championships.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO CLUBS RUNNING NJYRA CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS
The official instructions for each of the USSA Championships are sent direct to each Club at the beginning of the season. Each NJYRA quarter final event should be handled as close to these instructions as practicable. Time, weather, local conditions, and other factors may make changes necessary.
The scoring procedure for any National Cup event should always agree with the USSA instructions.
An officer of NJYRA will be assigned to each event. He will act as judge and as chairman of the protest committee. In case the officer assigned cannot be present that club's Representative will take these duties as the representative of the NJYRA.
At the skippers' meeting all entry blanks that are presented as replacing the original entry should be checked for proper signatures of contestants, or their parents or guardians, if appropriate, and club officers. At the Association level, all skippers, except for Midgets, must be members of USSA. NJYRA will accept no liability if improperly signed entries are accepted by the sponsoring club. They should be refused. Contestants should be advised on the proper care of the boats; of tide, water, and weather; of time limit; and of race markers to be used If possible a sample marker should be displayed. The "Instructions to Entrants" which follows should be read to the contestants, with emphasis not dropping out of the series with out the judges' permission, and the winning crew's continuing to the next level unless excused for cause.
Skippers' meetings will be called at 9 am, and should not be delayed for late arrivals. Late arrivals will be responsible for all instructions issued. Racing will not be delayed for late arrivals.
The boats should be as evenly matched as possible. Courses should be in open water as much as possible, and conform to USSA Courses were practicable. Markers should be all alike to avoid confusion
The judge and committee can bar a crew from competing if that crew is deemed not competent to handle the boat with out endangering property. The USSA rules restricting coaching should be considered to avoid delays.
Box lunches should be considered to avoid delays.
NJYRA WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR BOAT DAMAGE DURING BYOB EVENTS.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENTRANTS IN NJYRA CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS
All entries must be postmarked no later than ten days prior to the date of the event entered. "John Doe" entries may be submitted if necessary. All entries, including "John Doe" entries, must be accompanied by the correct entry fee. Checks should be made out to NJYRA. Entry forms should be mailed to the NJYRA National Cup Coordinator (Faye Bennet, Box 6, Beach Haven, NJ 08008). Replacement entry forms may be presented at the skippers' meeting for that event, but they must be properly completed and bear all the required signatures. Incomplete or improper entry forms will not be accepted at any time.
Once entered in a quarter-final or semi-final event, a crew must complete in all races of the event, unless permission is granted by 'he judge to drop out. Likewise, the winning crew at Association or Area level must compete the next higher level unless permission to drop out is given by the Area Representative for that event. The Executive Committee of NJYRA may impose such sanctions as permitted by the USSA Rules and the NJYRA Constitution against a crew which drops out of a series without permission, or which wins a series and fails to continue without permission as circumstances warrant in each case. Similar sanctions may also be imposed on the club sponsoring the delinquent crew, as the Executive committee may determine to be appropriate in each case.
Damage to yachts caused by flagrant violation of the racing rules or good seamanship, or negligence, shall void NJYRA insurance coverage and render the offending entrants club liable.
Deviation from USSA instructions for the conduct of the event is not grounds for protest