"The Chesapeake Bay is the lifeblood of our region, with its waters coursing through the veins of our community. It's a wonderful privilege to live here and benefit from the many gifts of the Bay. By Giving Back to the AYCF, we are helping many people in many ways receive the gifts of the Bay."

- Molly Hughes Wilmer, AYCF President

Mike learns how to hold the fish he just caught at the Annapolis Police Department Youth Fishing Camp.

Steve Roth's J/22 Team at the Midwinters (note the AYCF stickers on the boom!)

A proud participant of the Youth Fishing Camp displays his certificate of completion with Camp staff.

Molly Hughes Wilmer is the new President of AYCF.

AYCF In Action

Wednesday, April 9th

AYC Foundation raised $50,000 at Sailing for America: 2008 and Beyond. Half of the proceeds will go to the Foundation, the other half will go to the US Sailing Olympic Committee. Many thanks to all attendees, event sponsor, auction donors, and auction winners.

AYCF Announces 1st Quarter Grants

At its Board meeting on March 13th, the AYC Foundation reviewed first quarter grant applications, recommendations by the Advisory Committees, and voted to approve the following grants:

Two grants were awarded for amateur sailors competing in national and international competition. One grant was awarded to Bo McClatchy for the 2008 World Laser Radial Youth Championships in Auckland, New Zealand this March. The second grant was awarded to Alex Ramos for the International Easter Optimist Regatta in Holland, also being held this March. Both junior sailors have strong track records in their class, and the AYC Foundation is proud to sponsor them! Alex's regatta in Holland is from March 21-24. Results and the regatta page can be found online. Bo will be competing in New Zealand from March 24-29, and this regatta can also be followed online. We hope both sailors will have fun and do well! Look for pictures when they come back.

One grant was awarded under the category of maritime-related 501(c)(c) organizations. Chesapeake Regional Accessible Boating (CRAB), one of the strongest and longest-running community boating programs in the mid-Chesapeake Bay area was awarded a grant for two clinics to be held this spring.

One scholarship was awarded to a deserving student for participation on a high school sailing team.

The Foundation also pledged to support all mid-Chesapeake Bay sailors who qualify for international regattas in the upcoming USODA Team Trials and who choose to go to the regattas.

Alex Ramos in Holland at the International Easter Regatta

The US Opti team has created a web site that featured updates and photos. http://teamusaholland.googlepages.com/ There is also a cool web cam at the yacht club.
From Holland on Sunday, March 16:
"The team received their brand new McGloughlin Opti’s today and went out for a practice in overcast/Lt. rain and winds 10/15. After about 2 ½ hrs of sailing they got together with over 70 local NED and FIN sailors and ran two races. Around 90 boats on the line, pretty cool!!. Alex really had a great day and pulled off two 2nds with a number of us team finishing in the top 15. Tomorrow looks to be a bit better with sunny and a little warmer, maybe upper 40’s to low 50’s."

Local Teens Went to J/22 Midwinters in Texas
Grantees Steven Roth, Mike Carr, Matt Schoene, and Mike Atwell are traveling to Texas this March with AYCF support. "These juniors are incredibly excited about sailing and are having a ball racing at a new level. They are like sponges who get information from anyone who will give it to them."--Sue Mikulski
Read more about their background and their campaign in their PRESS RELEASE.
Updates from Texas.

200 Optimists on a Race Course?
Juniors (and their parents!) About to Descend on Annapolis
The Optimist Team Trials were be held at AYC May 1-4. Supported by AYCF, this is the most competitive regatta of the year for Opti sailors, and brought the best of the best to the Bay.

Will Annapolitan Farrah Hall Compete in the Olympics?
AYCF grantee Farrah Hall is still training and racing in hopes of being the US representative in the RS:X Class. Her challenges resulting from the decision at the Olympic Trials are still underway. Visit her website: www.farrah-hall.com.

Local Sailor Favored to Win 5o5 Worlds
AYCF grant recipients Tyler Moore and Jesse Falsone are favorites after a 4th place worlds finish in 2006 and numerous 2007 wins.
In their third season campaigning together, Tyler Moore and Jesse Falsone will compete in the 2008 505 World Championship in Palermo, Sicily. Moore and Falsone came off their 4th place 505 worlds finish in 2006 with a highly successful continental season in 2007, winning the Canadian Nationals, East Coast Championship, and Region II Championship, and placing third in the 505 North American Championship. Currently, the team is working on refiniments to their rigging layout and anticipating the introduction of carbon booms and poles to the class. Targeted training sessions are being scheduled with regional talent and Olympic coach Skip Wyte, who has also recently taken a liking to 505 sailing himself! After May, the team plans to lay low until late summer while Tyler and his wife, Jane, ready themselves for the birth of their second child, and Jesse ramps up his youth baseball team for a competitve season on the diamond.
Additionally, Falsone hopes to introduce a few eager junior sailors to the world of high-performance dinghy sailing in a few events in and around Annapolis.

AYC Board Elects New Foundation Board
The Foundation is the voice of its' donors, and we'd love to hear from you!
Molly Hughes Wilmer, President: molly@visionsmc.com;
John White, Vice President: johnrwhite@comcast.net