USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival back at Niantic Bay

Diane (Peck) Rothman's parents are longstanding members of Niantic Bay Yacht Club. Therefore Rothman has been a member there since birth.

Rothman is now in her seventh year as regatta coordinator for the USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival/Larry White Junior Regatta, in which approximately 60 and 80 kids will compete beginning at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Niantic Bay.

"The sailing is right there. There's a great beach. The kids are kayaking, paddleboarding, crabbing. It's a great way for kids to spend their summer," Rothman said of her ongoing promotion of youth sailing at Niantic

Bay, which is the home of the Niantic Bay Sailing Academy.

"My own kids don't consider themselves sailors and every year I say maybe I'll get somebody else involved in the whole organization of the regatta. Then it comes and I say, 'Gosh, you know, that went really well.' And I think how nice it is to see that Niantic Bay does make a difference."

Rothman's dad Norman Peck Jr. is the 16-time Atlantic Class national champion, one of many noteworthy competitors to hail from Niantic Bay and to raise his children there.

Brothers Tim and Bill Healy grew up racing at Niantic Bay, for instance. Tim has won three world championships, including the inaugural J/70 class division last fall. Bill is currently the assistant sailing coach at Yale and will watch his children compete in this week's regatta.

The regatta will feature racing in eight divisions: Laser, Radial, Club 420, Blue Jay and Optimists (red, blue, white and green). The fee is $25 for single-handed boats and $40 for double-handed. A US Sailing membership is required and may be obtained by calling the organization at 1-800-US-Sail-1, by visiting www. ussailing.org or on race day at the event registration desk. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.