First time on two hulls

It was a close battle for the title of US Youth Multihull Champions

California must have cured whatever ailed Evan Miller and Alexander Stewart as the Panama City sailors won the U.S. Youth Multihull Championship for US Sailing's Arthur J. Stevens Trophy Saturday 30 March and Sunday 1 April.

Eighteen teams competed on new Nacra SL16 catamarans in conjunction with host Alamitos Bay Yacht Club's annual Olympic Classes Regatta that featured Finns, Lasers and a handful of Stars. The youngsters - boys and girls ages 13 to 18 - sailed inside the breakwater and enjoyed Long Beach's fresh sea breeze of ten of 12 knots all weekend.

Miller, 16 and Stewart, 18 edged first-time catamaran competitors Andrew Mason, 17 and crew Chris Segerblom, 14 of nearby Orange County by half a point. Stewart arrived in town last week carrying a stomach flu that was running through his family, and when it hit Miller Friday their participation was doubtful.

"I thought we wouldn't be able to do it," Miller said, "but we felt better Saturday, and [Sunday] we were fine. I guess we'll leave whatever we had in California."

They stayed at Mason's house, which despite their illness must have benefited both teams. Mason and Segerblom told them about sailing at Long Beach, while Stewart and Miller offered tips about sailing multihulls to their rivals who had never sailed anything with more than one hull until six days before the event.

Mason said, "When someone told us the Youth Multihull Championship was here we said, 'That sounds like fun.'"

They flipped four times on a windy practice day last week, started the regatta with three second place and one sixth place finishes Saturday and then won a race Sunday to give the Floridians a run to the wire.

Third-place finishers were Chase Shaw and Alex Scanlon. Graham Gardner received the Hobock sportsmanship award.

Results:

1-Evan Miller and Alexander Stewart, 8 points
2-Andrew Mason and Chris Segerblom, 8.5 points
3-Chase Shaw and Alex Scanlon, 11 points