Hudson River Community Sailing (HRCS) and the Knickerbocker Sailing Association (KSA) today announced that they will partner for the 20th annual Stonewall Sails Regatta on June 17, 2023. Stonewall Sails, which was the first gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender sailing regatta when it debuted in 2003, remains the longest-running LGBT sailing regatta in the world. HRCS was founded in 2007 to develop leadership and academic success in underserved New York City youth through sailing education and to provide maritime education and recreation to the community at large.
Up to six teams will compete again this year in J-24 racing sailboats. KSA has a goal of raising $10,000 this year. The regatta supports HRCS’s youth development and adaptive sailing programs. Sail Academy, HRCS’s flagship after school program, is a four-year program that uses sailing and boat building to teach math, science, and leadership to high school students. HRCS currently partners with nine New York City high schools to offer academic credit in math and science, and the academic curriculum is designed with New York City Department of Education teachers to support state standards. The organization has improved the lives of thousands of students since its founding in 2007. The Adaptive Sailing program, launched in 2021, provides sailing education and recreation for youth and adults living with disabilities.
“The Knickerbocker Sailing Association is delighted to continue its support of HRCS and its important mission to educate and inspire underserved New York City kids through sailing education,” says KSA commodore James Weichert. “What an honor to be able to celebrate 20 years! Everyone is working hard to make this our biggest Stonewall Sails Regatta ever.”
KSA is a non-profit gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender sailing club in its 28th year with over 150 members from the tri-state area and is open to all, regardless of sexual orientation.
“HRCS is looking forward to partnering with KSA to celebrate the Regatta’s 20th Anniversary and HRCS’s 15th,” says Robert Burke, Executive Director of HRCS. “Our two organizations share a commitment to equity and inclusion, on and off the water, and we always love hosting this event to celebrate that.”
Since its founding, HRCS has served over 20,000 youth, adults, and families; developed curricula that fuse sailing, STEM, and leadership; and built a community dedicated to helping students succeed. HRCS has been named US Sailing’s Outstanding Community Sailing Center, an honor awarded annually to one program that has made notable contributions to promote public access to sailing.
The June 17 race can be viewed from Pier 66 adjacent to HRCS’s boathouse (West 26th Street inside Hudson River Park). Additional information can be found at http://www.ksasailing.org and http://hudsonsailing.org. If you are interested in covering the event, please contact Samantha Paradise at sparadise@baretzbrunelle.com and cc Matt Kapp at matt@mattkapp.com and James Weichert at jamesweichert@rcn.com.