At the US Sailing Youth Championships in Newport August 14-16, Fiona Walsh of Rye and her partner Lily Katz of Brooklyn won the C420 Championship. Walsh, who learned the ropes at American Yacht Club, is a member of the Rye High School sailing team.

At the US Sailing Youth Championships in Newport August 14-16, Fiona Walsh of Rye and her partner Lily Katz of Brooklyn won the C420 Championship. Walsh, who learned the ropes at American Yacht Club, is a member of the Rye High School sailing team.

They were among the many other top young sailors from around the country who were invited to compete in four classes: the Club 420, Laser, Radial, and 29er. During the regatta, hosted by the Ida Lewis Yacht Club, sailors experienced a wide range of conditions, from torrential rains the first day to glorious sunshine and steady 12- to 15-knot breezes the final day.

Katz and Walsh started running away with the 36-team Club 420 midway through the event. They began distancing themselves from the fleet starting with race six of the Championship, enjoying a lofty 22-point lead through nine races. Their throw-out was a tenth-place result in race five. Through 11 races they won two and finished second twice. They never finished lower than tenth.

On the last day, they were third and sixth in the final two races and won by a 15-point margin, beating a team from Florida.
Earlier in the season, Walsh and Katz placed fourth in the US Junior Women’s Doublehanded championship.