Merritt Sellers: Little Champion

Bayview Mackinac Race 

Merritt Sellers competed in the Bayview Mackinac Race with his father Scott. A fourteen-year-old girl, along with adults, participated in real races! The regatta was held near the Mackinac Islands.

The day before the start of the regatta, when Merritt and Scott arrived at the islands, a crowd of fans and other participants cheered for the duo. Everyone wondered if a girl at such a young age could overcome the distance. Even under the supervision of his father, this task looked quite ambitious.

The competition began at 11:30 am Saturday north of the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron. Merritt and Scott performed on a J/111 boat called "Nosurprise". 

Ambition and perseverance

Merritt had to navigate the boat alone at night for 204 nautical miles. At this time, her father had to rest after his watch. 

“I sat and waited for my turn. During breaks, I set sails, ate chips and thought about how much I want to go to bed, ”says Merritt. The girl and her father were on a boat, which is designed for a crew of eight. Thus, they had to redistribute the work for two.

The most interesting thing is that the duet not only won, but also overtook a team of experienced sailors. The main opponents in the race were the crew of the Utah boat from Holland, Michigan. The sailors of this team have already won races more than once.

“We caught up with them at night,” Scott Sellers said. “I was worried that they would catch up with us. But as a result, they not only did not catch up with us - we successfully broke away from them. And it's all thanks to Merritt!"

Serious debut of a young yachtswoman

The little yachtswoman started training at the American club Little Traverse Sailors at the age of 7. She has already achieved what many yachtsmen strive for all their lives.

“Winning on the shore is to find the wind at night. Then you need to keep the rhythm and not let the rivals catch up with you,” says Chris Clark, chairman of the Bayview Mackinac Race 2022 organized by the Bayview Yacht Club. 

Scott shares his impressions with a smile after the start: “When Port Huron had already disappeared over the horizon, a couple of jet skis and motor boats swept past us. The crew of these boats were shouting at the top of their voices, “Go ahead, Merritt!” And no one said, "Go ahead, Scott!" At that moment, I realized that it was time to give way to the young.”

After the race, Merritt was exhausted, trying to digest the moment. Scott and Merrit said that the race was not easy. Both were tired, but pleased with themselves, the boat and a well-deserved victory. 

What's next?

Jill (Merritt's mom) and Scott Sellers once met during a joint charter. And now they have three beautiful daughters who are also involved in yachting. Next weekend, 18-year-old Hannah Sellers will race with Scott on the Chicago-Mackinac route. Merritt said she was on insurance.

"It's so great to see so many girls sailing," Merritt said. “There are guys on my sailing team, and at first I didn’t feel like one of them. I want more women in sports. However, I think everything will come with time.

And I really hope that my father will listen to me ... And next year we will take part in the transoceanic regatta! The route of the race stretches from California to Hawaii. The length of the route is as much as 2225 nautical miles. I really want to take part in it.”

We wish good luck to the young athlete! On the example of Merritt, you can see that all ages are submissive to yachting. The main thing is love for the sea and your work.

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22.07.2022