These days, more and more people in our area are discovering sailing with plenty of waterfront available, so it’s no surprise that Michael Levy, a freshman at Scotts Valley High, has found his passion in it.
“It just clicked for me the first time I sailed at the age of 11,” Michael said.
The sport combines athleticism, skill and technology with the ultimate goal of taming the wind to glide you across the waves at high speeds.
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At 12, Michael joined the Santa Cruz Yacht Club’s junior sailing program, which has taught him the fundamentals of proper boat handling, rigging and sailing in different weather conditions.
The kids in the program raced at Pinto Lake in Watsonville using El Toro sailboats. El Toros are 8-foot long and very simple to maneuver and learn. Michael then quickly advanced his skills from beginner to intermediate by taking classes at UC Santa Cruz. He enjoyed the courses so much he was able to help a group of 20 kids learn sailing at the beginner level on campus.
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As he learned the tactics and rules, it was clear the next step was to race in a regatta. His first real regatta was as a competitor in the El Toro Silver National's in Stockton last summer, where he placed second overall. After that race, he was hooked and met fellow sailor and student, Mackenzie Cook, from SVHS.
These teens were serious about the sport and took on new challenges by racing CFJ’s (Club Flying Juniors), a 14-foot racing boat. This kept Michael excited, while at the same time he made other friends and discovered sailing leagues around California. These leagues form the connection for junior sailors to high school-aged sailors, ages 8-18 years old.
Our local schools are struggling with resources, and sailing, surfing and mountain biking will not be school-based sports or on-campus clubs for the 2011-12 school year.
Still, with his love for boats and passion to hit the water, Michael will embrace the sport and find a way to sail competitively.
“I just want to sail,” he said. “I owe all of my sailing experience to the Santa Cruz Yacht Club.”
To date, Michael has raced in 27 Regattas, and with the help of his parents, he now owns a Laser, a 15-foot, single-handed sailboat. He shares a slip at the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor with teammate Mackenzie Cook.