SPORTS

Sailors gather for 19th annual CJ Buckley Regatta

By ALEX SPONSELLER
Posted 8/2/22

Sailors from all over the world gathered at Goddard State Park and East Greenwich Bay on Monday and Tuesday this week to take part in the 19th annual CJ Buckley Memorial Regatta.

CJ Buckley was a …

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SPORTS

Sailors gather for 19th annual CJ Buckley Regatta

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Sailors from all over the world gathered at Goddard State Park and East Greenwich Bay on Monday and Tuesday this week to take part in the 19th annual CJ Buckley Memorial Regatta.

CJ Buckley was a local teenager who lived by his motto, “Sailing is life - the rest is just details.” He was a competitive sailor for the GBSA team and Tabor Academy and loved everything about team racing. He referred to the strategy as “a game of chess on the water,” and he enjoyed meeting many friends and companions along the way.

He was diagnosed with brain cancer two weeks after winning a regatta and two weeks prior to his 16th birthday. After a courageous 16-month battle, CJ passed away and would inspire the local sailing community to establish the first-ever regatta in his honor in the summer of 2003.

Since then, it has grown into one of the country’s largest regattas and an annual tradition for the Rhode Island sailing community.

“The kids enjoy this regatta because of what it is about. It is about having fun and good sportsmanship. We have had many of the same volunteers for all 19 years and they have all gotten to know each other because of this regatta,” said CJ’s mother, Lucy Buckley.

This year’s regatta featured 24 teams and 155 sailors. Teams traveled from 13 different US states and came from other areas including Canada and the Virgin Islands to compete. This was the 13th year that the event served as the Club 420 Association’s National Junior Team Race Championship.

There was another added bonus to this year’s competition, as many of the officials were coaches from college programs including Maine Maritime, the Naval Academy and Brown University, among a handful of others. Not only did this provide these coaches with an in-person look at prospective sailors, but the kids were also granted the opportunity to meet one-on-one with coaches after the conclusion of the races. There were different awards given as well, including a team sportsmanship award which was voted on by the sailors.

The regatta has been organized and run by primarily the same volunteers since its inception nearly two decades ago. Many of them include former friends of CJ’s, who now have their own families that chip in. CJ’s father, Carter Buckley, was thrilled with the turn out this year and is always excited to see so many familiar faces.

“As always, it is more than a race. It emphasizes sportsmanship, team spirit, and camaraderie. It fosters increased awareness of itself as an association as well as family and friends,” said Carter. “CJ was a talented member of the GBSA race team. His courage, spirit, and determination to live every day to the fullest energized and inspired his mates.”

Lucy appreciates the support as well, and feels that the annual tradition serves as an important reminder of what sailing – and life – is all about.

“I think that because of what happened, they are such a small group and it really solidified their friendships. Many of them went off to college, they are working, but there is still that connection between them knowing a person that they lost prematurely. There is a greater awareness of life and being grateful for what you have,” said Lucy. “You can’t take things for granted and you have to live life to the fullest. That’s what CJ did.”

sailors, regatta

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