Newport, R.I. — The 2023 Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup showcased a notable trend towards youth among the competing teams, particularly at the helm. The winning San Diego Yacht Club’s Tyler Sinks, at 36, was the oldest participant, while the runners-up from Corinthian Yacht Club featured 26-year-old Wade Waddell, and the third-placed Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS) team was helmed by the youngest participant, 23-year-old Jordan Stevenson. Remarkably, the RNZYS team, averaging just under 29 years old, was the youngest to ever compete in the event.
Although RNZYS will not compete in the upcoming ninth edition of the Invitational Cup due to logistical challenges, the youth movement is still evident, with many teams leveraging their yacht club youth training programmes to cultivate the needed talent and enthusiasm for the all-amateur regatta.
Chris Way, tactician and co-skipper of the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club team from Australia, stated, “The team we put together is a majority youth. One guy’s really young, and he’s learning on a very steep curve. That was our intent, to bring a youth team to sail with us.” The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club has a long history of nurturing match racers and offshore sailors, and they aim to continue developing this tradition.
Twenty teams from 12 countries will participate in the ninth Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, a biennial regatta from September 6 to 13, hosted at the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court. Since its inception in 2009, the event has attracted top-tier amateur sailors from prestigious yacht clubs worldwide.
This year marks the fourth edition of the regatta sailed in the IC37 class, known for its strict one-design regulations. The design ensures that all boats are owned and maintained by the New York Yacht Club, creating a competitive environment unlike any other amateur big-boat sailing event. Racing will commence on September 9, with live broadcasts available on Facebook and YouTube starting September 10.
The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club previously competed in the Invitational Cup in Swan 42s, finishing 11th in 2013 and 13th in 2015. With limited IC37 experience back home, the team travelled to Newport for the New York Yacht Club’s 171st Annual Regatta in June, which served as both valuable training and an emotional pilgrimage, reflecting on Australia’s historic 1983 America’s Cup victory.
“I think for us all, it was a very emotional moment to sail out on [Rhode Island Sound]; I said to everybody, ‘Remember, this is a place in 1983 that the Australians took the Cup from the Americans,’” said Way. “I’m originally from Canada, so I was watching it on a drilling rig offshore, and I said, ‘That’s a country I’ve got to move to.’ It’s very cool to be here. It’s such a neat, neat venue, with so much tradition and history.”
Whether the Royal Prince Alfred team can write a bit of its own history come September will come down in no small part to the performance of its younger sailors. Subtracting Way and Ritchie, the team averages just 27 years of age.
Meanwhile, the Royal Canadian Yacht Club is experiencing a generational shift, with tactician Lance Fraser, 32, taking over from Olympic silver medalist Terry McLaughlin. The new team is eager to perform at the highest level, with lead trimmer Liam Millen expressing confidence in their youthful crew.
Hannah Lynn Reid, previously the youngest sailor for the New York Yacht Club, returns alongside her father Bill Lynn for Eastern Yacht Club, aiming to inspire young sailors within the club. Other young sailors contributing to their clubs’ efforts include Duncan Gregor from the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, competing at just 21, and Johanna Sommarlund, a 29-year-old helmswoman for the Royal Swedish Yacht Club.
The 2025 Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup will also feature clubs such as Corinthian Yacht Club, Eastern Yacht Club, Howth Yacht Club, Itchenor Sailing Club, Japan Sailing Federation, and many others, showcasing the global appeal and participation in this prestigious event.
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The Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup
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