By Cary Wang
From being the youngest sailor in the 2023 Newport Bermuda Race to being the lightest in the ILCA 6 class in the ILCA U.S. Championship, I had the incredible opportunity to race alongside 146 of the best Laser sailors and world champions from the US and other countries at the regatta, hosted by Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club in Oyster Bay, NY June 27-29. It’s like if you’re a quarterback and you’re in the same room as Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Patrick Mahomes, and other Hall of Famers. Three days of racing were a thrilling experience for me to learn from those world-class racers with a strong passion and spirit for ILCA sailing.
Friday had a 20-knot easterly that filled the Sound with whitecaps before the SCYC race committee boat even set marks. The Lasers were splash-launched after the skipper’s briefing, and the schedule was compressed to four races due to the light forecast for the weekend. On the water, the winning pattern was unmistakable: start at the boat end, head hard right toward the New York shoreline where pressure and ebb current combined. I could hear quick debriefs from all the coach boats regarding strategy, vang tension, heel control, and lane management.
On Saturday, the wind vanished, the race committee kept us ashore under postponement, and racing was called off. On Sunday, the faint wind let us go out to practice the roll tacks and roll jibes, but not enough to race.
In between races and during the postponements was the time to talk to all the great sailors around me. We exchanged introductions, laughs, and thoughts about the races, and I got some helpful advice. Here are the main things I took away:
• Sailing wide angles on the downwind in heavy breeze with waves
• Have high-calorie meal plans for gaining weight, especially on the ILCA 6 — aim for 155-160 lbs
• Always prioritize clear air
• Be aggressive on the start line — try to be as much over without actually being over
On the last day, I even got the chance to meet the champion of the standard class, who is currently campaigning for the 2028 Olympics. It was inspiring to see all these dedicated people around me, all chasing a dream. I expressed my enthusiasm to improve, and they shared the same, knowing that we both love the sport. Even though I didn’t place high on the podium or race a lot, I truly learned a lot from these sailors.
From the super-heavy winds to two days of zero wind, I realized that there is no such thing as perfect wind in a race. Wind can sometimes be more than expected, and I had to figure out how to manage with more controls and hiking. Wind can also be too light, and I had to learn how to get through it with roll tacks/jibes and weight management. The hectic weekend is the exact reminder for me that life is all about managing the unexpected, and the only constant is change. ■
Cary Wang attends the Horace Mann School in Bronx, NY and is a Pre-college Piano student at Manhattan School of Music. He’s very driven, with a deep passion for learning, community, and excellence across academics, music and sports.
Cary is a U.S. patent holder for a multi-functional school gadget; a Founding Partner of EcoFab, a global youth environment impact foundation; a concert pianist with more than 15 performances in Carnegie Hall and many other international stages; a 2023 Presidential Service Award recipient for avid community work; and a 2024 Connecticut Scholastic Arts Gold Key winner and National Gold Medal winner.
Sailing out of Stamford Yacht Club, Cary’s a fearless competitor from dinghies to big boats, finishing third in Lasers at the 2021 Commodore Law Trophy Regatta, winning the 2023 Dorade Cup, and taking third in the 2023 Beach Point Overnight.
