09:44 PM EDT on Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Frank the moderator: Hey again. TONIGHT @ 8 p.m. Carolyn Thornton is back and welcomes members of the North Kingstown sailing team, Peter Largess, Gary Largess and Anna Miniutti, and their coach Matthew Largess.
Please submit a question and come back tonight night. Thanks.

Carolyn Thornton: Hello, everyone. This is Carolyn Thornton , and I am here at the Journal tonight with members of the North Kingstown sailing team. We have sailors Chris Keimig, Anna Miniutti and Gary and Pete Largess, as well as their coach Matt Largess. I'm sure that there are a lot of people out there who don't know very much about the world of high school sailing. So why don't we start out by having you tell us a little bit about your team and where and when you compete.
North Kingstown sailing team: Chris: We go to North Kingstown High School, there are about 20 kids now on the team. We practice and race our home regattas out of Wickford Yacht Club. But we also travel a lot. We go close to home, places such as East Greenwich, as well as far away, places such as New Orleans, Maine, Mass., etc. In additon we recently won a regatta qualifier to go to Texas.

Carolyn Thornton: So when does sailing season begin and how long does it run?
North Kingstown sailing team: Anna: Our school season is primarily in the spring but we also have some fall regattas. Most of the kids on the team also frostbite (sail during the winter, every Sunday)
North Kingstown sailing team: Gary: The spring sailing season runs from mid-March to mid-May.

Carolyn Thornton: Is it a co-ed sport or do they have separate races for boys and girls at the regattas?
North Kingstown sailing team: Chris: The actual varsity high school sailing team is co-ed, and when we race other high schools, we sail co-ed. All of the qualifiers are co-ed. But we do have women's states at the end of the year, which obviously would just be for the women on all the teams. There are usually 12 or 13 teams that compete in an A and a B Division. Matt: High School sailing is one of the only co-ed sports in the state so it's a great social atmosphere for young people.

Carolyn Thornton: Tell us about your win over the weekend at the Boston Gleekman Champion Regatta. Where was it held, how many teams were competing, and can you take us through the various races?
North Kingstown sailing team: Pete: There were 19 other teams that we competed against and it was a qualifier for the Great Oaks regatta. Chris: The Great Oaks Regatta is in Austin, Texas which is cool. Gary: Last year we went to the Great Oaks Regatta in New Orleans, the Southern Yacht Club, and got second. Anna: We are all sad about the yacht club burning down in Hurricane Katrina. Matt: We plan on planting a tree in Austin this year in the spirit of renewal of the Southern Yacht Club

Carolyn Thornton: What are some of the other highlights of what your team has accomplished in recent years?
North Kingstown sailing team: Chris: Last year we won the Rhode Island State Championship. We also won the polar bear open at Bowdoin College. We won the Coast Guard National Regatta last year and are hoping to defend the title this weekend.

Emily: How did you learn to sail
N.K. sailing coach Matthew Largess: I started sailing when I was six years old, in the early 60's. I still race my laser on sundays. At 51 years old i still feel fine out there. Sailing is a life long sport, you can't beat it. I've been coaching high school sailing for 14 years, it is such an honor. I love being part of the N.K. family
North Kingstown sailing team : Anna: I began sailing when I was 7 at CYC. I now sail 420's, FJ's, and Lasers Gary: I learned to sail when I was 6 years old at the local Yacht Club. I've sailed there ever since then and started competitivly racing Optimist when I was 9.

Emily: Did all of you have sailing experience before you joined the team
North Kingstown sailing team: Anna: Yea, Emily, we did, but we definitely got better from our best coach in the world, Matt Largess

Carolyn Thornton: Tell us more about this weekend's regatta - the National Coast Guard Regatta. Where is it held? How many teams will be there? What is the competition like?
North Kingstown sailing team : Matt: This is an ISSA national regatta with teams invited from all regions of the country. It's held at the Coast Guard Acadamy this Saturday and Sunday. It's a fleet race with an A and B division, and like golf, the team with the lowest score wins the regatta.

Emily: are most of the sailing teams from public schools or private schools? What year are each of you in? Will you sail in college?
N.K. sailing coach Matthew Largess: Most of the schools are private, but the public schools are becoming real active. High school sailing is the fastest growing sport in the U.S. Most of the NK Team will sail in college.
North Kingstown sailing team: Chris: Hi Emily. Most sailing teams are from private schools, and for the most part give the most competition. But for the most part, being a public school we do very well and hold our own. I, myself am a senior, along with Anna. Pete and Gary are both juniors. I know that both Anna and I are planing to sail competitively in college.

Carolyn Thornton: So what other high schools in Rhode Island have sailing teams? Which teams have traditionally given you the toughest competition?
N.K. sailing coach Matthew Largess: There are 12 teams in the state: NK, SK, EG, St. George's, Portsmouth Abbey, Rogers, Rocky Hill, Hendricken, Mount St. Charles, and La Salle. St. George's and Portsmouth Abbey usually give us the most competition. They both have done well recently on the national level.
North Kingstown sailing team: Chris and Gary: Well, St. George's and Portsmouth Abbey are always perenial powers, or "power houses" in high school sailing. In addition some other teams are, Hendricken, East Greenwich, Rogers, Rocky Hill, Moses Brown, Bay View, PCD, and South Kingstown.

Emily: Does your school pay for all these regattas or do you have to do fund raising?
N.K. sailing coach Matthew Largess: Like I say, we are the Mighty Ducks. The families of the sailors chip in a lot of money and the school gives us what they can. We race against teams that have huge budgets but we have a lot of heart and have shocked the sailing world.
North Kingstown sailing team: Anna: The school tries to help pay for some of the sailing costs but we also do fund raising on our own. Right now we have a fundraiser with a great company called Sunsmith Eyewear and for every pair of sunglasses that we help them sell, they give the NKHS sailing team 40% of the profit!

SailorAndrea: This is one for each of you: What do you like best about sailing?
N.K. sailing coach Matthew Largess: This is Anna on Matt's log-in: It's just a rush. Sailing is so unique, and has its own world. I know since I've begun sailing all my close friends are sailors.
North Kingstown sailing team: Gary: I like sailing because it is a pure sport. It is not only training that will help you. Each location is different and knowing about the surrounding environments is one of the most important aspects of competitive racing. Also, I love just cruising. Sailing can be as relaxing as you want or as intense as you want. It has something for everybody. Pete:I like competing. I especially like team racing and racing my laser single-handed. I always will compete because I love the challenge it presents. Chris: First of all, the people. The people you meet are always awesome, the sailing community is so friendly and kind. I myself have made so many friends from sailing. I love to travel to regattas and meet kids from other teams. When on the water, I love to team race the most. It seems more like a sport to me. I also like the challenge of the sport.

SailorAndrea: Also for each of you: What is the most challenging thing about sailing?
N.K. sailing coach Matthew Largess: Sailing is a test of many skills. You're on the ocean with the wind as your engine. You got yourself and your crew and you have to figure out how to go faster than everyone else.
North Kingstown sailing team : Gary: I think the most challenging part of sailing is adjusting from location to location. Everywere we sail is different. This weekend, in Boston, the wind was very shifty because of all of the buildings. Sailing in Newport is a challenge because it is usually windy and the current plays a big part in each race. No one on our team has ever sailed in Texas, so when we go down the Great Oaks, we will have to do some research of the lake.

Emily: It sounds like you named a bunch of schools in RI, is high school sailing a growing sport in RI? what about on the national level?
N.K. sailing coach Matthew Largess: yes, HS sailing is a growing sport in RI as well as in the nation. Making it to the National final, the Mallory Regatta in fleet racing and the Baker Regatta in team racing is extremely competitive. When I started coaching 14 yrs. ago at La Salle, there were 28 teams in New England and now there are over 100.
North Kingstown sailing team: Anna: There are some schools that are nationally known for sailing. St. George's, Tabor, and Milton are some from New England. But each area of the country has good teams. California has been winning the last few years.

Carolyn Thornton: Can you talk a little more about the racing class that you compete in? Each boat has a skipper and crew, is that correct? Can you talk a little more about the dynamics of that?
N.K. sailing coach Matthew Largess: the 420 class is double handed, the crew and skipper work like a time piece to be successful. the single handed laser is like riding a bronco. the only thing in the boat going up wind is your toes. FLAT. IS. FAST. NKHS does the most regattas, time in the boat is the key to success.
North Kingstown sailing team : Gary: Another challenge of sailing is the transitions between different classes of boats. We sail double handed boats in high school. There is a driver and crew. We do some single handed sailing in lasers but most is done in double handed boats like 420's and FJ's. In the summer we sail some boats that are sailed with 3 people, such as J22's. One of the biggest parts of sailing is the chemistry between the crew and driver. It is very hard to compete when the crew and the skipper do not gel on each move. People do not realize that the crew is just as important as the skipper. Having a good crew is like having new tires on a car, it makes taking turns alot easier, and therefore you can complete them faster then the person next to you.

Carolyn Thornton: What kind of training off the water do you do?
N.K. sailing coach Matthew Largess: yes, crosstraining is important. Gary runs cross country and it seems to really help his sailing. The team worked out together last winter. We plan on doing that again this year. Small boat sailing is all all about being physically fit, and mentally aware.
North Kingstown sailing team: Anna: We run and do crunches Gary: I do sports other than sailing. In the fall, I run cross country on the High School team. It is a lot of fun and keep me in shape physically.

High Voltage: Wad up Pete?
North Kingstown sailing team : Pete: hey nm u?

High Voltage: So what do you do to stay in "Sailing Shape"?
North Kingstown sailing team: Pete: We so some pre-season practices to get or stay in shape. Some people on the team do fall and winter sports.

Emily: Pete, How many teams will compete in the national regatta in Texas? Will you guys be one of the favorites to win?
N.K. sailing coach Matthew Largess: emily, there will be about 35 teams. Last year we finished second, the last day it was blowing over 25, and I put the two boy skippers together. This year, I plan on putting no pressure on the kids. We will go out and sail hard, have fun. Winning this regatta is possible.
North Kingstown sailing team: Pete: There will be 35-40 teams in Texas. Last year we got 2nd (Hawaii beat us) and hopefully we do well again this year.

dave: Hi guys i'd like to congratulate all of you on a season well sailed especially getting to go to Great Oaks. GO NK!! look forward to seeing all of you at Coast Gaurd. What do you expect the competition to be like? Think you can win again?
N.K. sailing coach Matthew Largess: hey dave, we have a team with 5 really good skippers and a lot of great crew, we have the potential to win any regatta we enter.
North Kingstown sailing team: Anna: Hey Dave, Thanks man, We really want to try and win and defend our title. Are you going to be at Coast Guard?

Carolyn Thornton: Looks like it's time to wrap things up. Wow. That hour really flew! Thanks to all of you for telling us about your team and teaching us about your sport. Sounds like it's pretty exciting. Now you mentioned that you have a web site where people can learn more about sailing. What is that site?
North Kingstown sailing team : Gary: Our website is NKHSsailing.com. I would like to say, for the whole team, thanks for having us tonight.

drsalk: hi peter who is your mentor, and who is the finest coach that ever taught you sailing
North Kingstown sailing team: Pete: I have had many great mentors and coaches over the past years I have been racing. Some of the people who have especially helped me along the way are my dad Matt Largess, Peter Clark, Sean Horagan, and of course - Dr. Robert Salk

Carolyn Thornton: OK. Great. Thanks again. Have a great night!