Algebra and ability help young Hilton Head sailor become one of world’s best in Greece
As temperatures soared and wildfires raged in Greece last month, teens who train in local waters off Hilton Head Island battled hundreds of other young sailors from across the world at the International Laser Class Association 4 Youth World Championship in Volos, Greece July 22-30. One of South Carolina racers, James Pine of Mount Pleasant, finished second overall — and took first place in the 16-year-old and under division.
Pine was one of five junior sailors who train at the South Carolina Yacht Club on Hilton Head Island to qualify for the youth championships in the 4.7 Lasers, a type of dingy so-named for its 4.7 square meters of sail area. The club has gained a reputation in recent years as a top training facility for junior racers in the mid-Atlantic region.
Weather and sea conditions were terrible, said Mark Newman, the sailing coach at the South Carolina Yacht Club, which is based at Windmill Harbour, a gated waterfront community.
Temperatures soared above 100 degrees and, combined with winds, fueled wildfires in the region that forced evacuations, claimed five lives and caused explosions at an ammunition depot. At one point, Newman said, sailing coaches at the world youth championship were recruited to help rescue residents in the path of the wildfires. The coaches were credited with assisting in the rescue more than 130 people in the region.
The local racers were able to rise above the hot and smokey conditions, particularly Pine. “He’s just got a natural ability to make boats go fast,” Newman said of Pine.
Out of 281 racers in the boy’s division, which includes racers up to 17 years old, Pine, who is 15, finished 2nd, outpaced only by Bhanubandh Weka of Thailand. Pine was first in the under 16s.
The competition required six qualifying races followed by seven “Gold Fleet” races for those who advanced from the qualifying rounds.
Pine is an algebra buff, which his mother, Allison Pine, says benefits his sailing tactics. And now, adds Newman, “I’d have to say he’s probably one of the top sailors in the world.”
Pine’s twin brother, Nathan, who also competed, finished in 76th place. Bode Snider of Bluffton was 191st. Will Bryant of Atlanta, who also trains at the South Carolina Yacht Club, was 261.
Arabella Duer, 16, of Beaufort, who has Olympic ambitions, competed in the girl’s division. She finished 58th out of 160 competitors.
To have five kids compete at the world competition was a feather in the cap for the small South Carolina Yacht Club, Newton said.
“It’s actually shocking,” he said. “They were able to compete in some terrible conditions.”
