As is the usual case, the Youth Grant Committee had a hard time picking one overall recipient for the USJCA Youth Grant Program. For the 2025 season, we decided to pick two winners: Sam Hopper from Portland, Oregon and Sam Parsons from Annapolis, Maryland. Help us welcome our two newest Youth Grant Recipients!
About Sam Hopper and his crew
Outside of J/24 sailing, our team has quite the extensive resumes. (Sam is the current Junior World Champion.)
Sam Hopper (Owner/Skipper of Hull #62):
2022 Pac Cup – raced J/105 Free Bowl of Soup finished 1st in class, 4th overall
2024 Pac Cup – raced Wylie 70 Rage – 2nd in class, 5th overall
6 Pacific Northwest Offshores – 1st in division five times, 1st overall two times
9 Swiftsures – 1st in class twice, 1st overall once
4 PNW Race Weeks – 1st in division twice
3 Round the Countys – 1st in class twice
2 Seattle J/Fest – 2nd in J/105
Sears, Triple Handed Youth Nationals
J/24 Worlds – 1st in Youth Division
Piper Easton (Trimmer):
4 Pacific Northwest Offshores – 1st overall once, 1st in class, 2nd overall once, 2nd in Division
3 Swiftsures
1 Round the County
Atlantic HH66 Catamaran delivery
Bemis, Double Handed Youth Nationals
J/24 Worlds – 1st in Youth Division
Peter Schnell (Tactician):
Bemis, Double Handed Youth Nationals – 2nd overall once
C420 Invitational from US Sailing – 2nd Overall
Sails for Olin College
Pacific Northwest Offshore – 1st overall
J/24 Worlds – 1st in Youth Division
Annika Phillips (Mid):
J/24 Worlds – 1st in Youth Division
Pacific Northwest Circuit Champion in C420
Tahiti Delivery
Everett McAvoy (Bow):
Sails for University of Hawaii
Sears, Triple Handed Youth Nationals – 6th overall
Pacific Northwest Circuit Champion in C420
3 Pacific Northwest Offshore – 1st in division twice
2 Swiftsures
PCCSC – Match Racing Championship
PNW Race Week – 1st in division
Hawaii Soling States – 1st overall
Harbor Cup – 1st overall
J/24 Worlds – 1st in Youth Division
After winning the Youth Division of the World Championship, and we were fortunate enough to receive the J/24 Kelly Holmes-Moon Youth Grant, we are planning to attend as many events as possible. Our calendars are marked for the following events and regattas:
- Midwinters Miami, FL
- North Americans Houston, TX
- Regular Thursday Night Racing in Portland, OR
- Western Regionals
- World Championship, Plymouth UK
Keith Whittemore will be Sam’s mentor.
About Sam Parsons and his crew
Sam and his team of Chris, Hannelyn, Josh and DJ comprise the J/24 Lucky 13 sailing team. Together they have spent one season together competing at numerous handicap and one-design races on the Chesapeake Bay, culminating in competing at the J/24 East Coast Championship. Sam started competitively sailing at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy where he sailed Lasers, 420s and FJs, and helped qualify for College Sailing Nationals. He switched to keelboats and competed in the MAISA Match Racing Semifinals and in two Block Island Race Weeks skippering a J/111. Before purchasing J/24 Lucky 13, he competed with several boats on the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays and competed in the Annapolis to Bermuda Race. Chris sailed for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy as well, competing in numerous offshore races and winning the Kennedy Cup for college keelboat racing. Hannelyn has experience sailing Lucky 13 in one-design regattas as well as double-handing in many point-to-point races. Josh has experience sailing most nights of the week on various boats throughout the Chesapeake Bay area. DJ grew up sailing in the Annapolis area and has experience racing everything from dinghies to multiple Bermuda Races. The Lucky 13 sailing team looks to continue competing at many one-design and handicap races on the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding areas this year.
Schedule
One Design: Charleston Race Week, Helly Hansen Sailing World Annapolis, East Coast Championship, J/24 Nationals, J/World Thursday Nights, AYC Frostbite Series.
PHRF: Spring Fling, Spring Race to Oxford, Five Forts Race, Annapolis to Miles River, Maryland Cures Cancer Regatta, Race to Baltimore, CRAB Cup, Annapolis to Cambridge, Hospice Cup, Race to Rock Hall
Jeff Hayden will be Sam’s mentor.