ROCKWALL/HEATH, TX (Jan. 4, 2024) Rush Creek Yacht Club recently announced its 2024 Junior Flag Officers, and recognized the recipient of the prestigious Chilton Award and the Jim Wright Leadership Award. The junior flag officer’s duties are to encourage junior involvement in sailing, racing and general social activities, and assist in club functions.
The 2024 Junior Flag Officers are:
Junior Commodore – Mercedes Porter-Via
Junior Vice-Commodore – Ashleigh Hoye
Junior Rear-Commodore – Kaden Virag
Fourteen-year-old Kaden Virag was awarded the Bob Chilton Award for the 3rd year in a row, which is presented annually at RCYC’s Junior Awards Ceremony to the most outstanding junior sailor of the year. Kaden is a Freshman at Rockwall-Heath High School and completed 11 Texas Sailing Association (TSA) Regattas throughout 2023 coming in first place overall in the Optimist Red (age 13-15) Fleet. Kaden is a member of the US Development Team and has traveled throughout the United States to complete in United States Optimist Dinghy Association (USODA) Regattas including 2023 Sunshine State Regatta at the US Sailing Center in Jensen Beach, Florida, Gulf Coast Championship in Bay St Louis, Mississippi, US Team Trials in St. Petersburg, Florida, Southeast Champs in Miami, Florida and Chocopalooza Regatta, Heath, Texas. Kaden was the Red Fleet Champion as well as Overall Opti winner at the 2023 USODA Texas Youth Race Week. Based on Kaden’s placement in the 2023 US Team Trials he was invited to race with Team USA at the 2023 British National Regatta in Weymouth, UK and placed 29 out of 86 boats.
Fifteen-Year-Old Mercedes Porter-Via was the recipient of the Jim Wright Leadership Award, this recognition is awarded to the top Youth Sailor that sets an example of leadership, working with others, engaging with coaches and fellow sailors supporting the youth sailing program at Rush Creek. Mercedes competed in both sailboat categories ILCA 4 and ILCA 6 in 2023, she is a Sophomore at Ursuline Academy of Dallas and is planning to become a Junior Summer Camp Coach at Rush Creek in April.
About Rush Creek Yacht Club
RCYC was founded on the shores of Lake Ray Hubbard in 1969. Since then, RCYC has become a landmark for sailing in the Dallas area and the US. The Youth Sailing Program is one of the only year-round programs in the Dallas area. Join them this summer for a great camp experience: rcyc.org/summer-camp
Story and photos submitted by Lindsay Scott, Vice-Commodore of Education at Rush Creek Yacht Club.
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