For GWUOHS senior Gavin V., sailing began almost by chance. However, it has since carried him across the Pacific, through state level competitions, and into the ranks of Hawaii’s top youth sailors. Additionally, sailing has become more than just a sport for Gavin — it has become a lens through which Gavin views challenges, discipline, and growth.
“I started sailing right before COVID – I’d say it was fourth grade for me,” Gavin said. “It was kind of a random series of events. My mom was talking to one of her friends about what we should do for a summer camp, and that happened to be sailing.”
Earlier this year, Gavin competed in the 2024 Junior Olympics, where he entered three of four events and finished second in the Topper class. The achievement was all the more remarkable considering he had only recently returned to competitive sailing after several years away. Gavin first discovered his love for the sport as a child in Southern California, but after his family relocated to Hawaii during the pandemic, he spent years off the water while they built their new home. It wasn’t until he found a small, low-budget sailing club on the Big Island that his passion reignited and set him back on course for competition.
After nearly four years away from competitive sailing, Gavin returned to it in January 2024. Once he was back on the water, Gavin’s progress was immediate.
In March 2024, Gavin took an instructor course on Oahu, where the sport’s intensity surprised him. On Big Island, the opportunities for high-level racing were limited, but Oahu’s regatta scene exposed him to faster boats, tougher conditions, and sailors with years of national experience.
“The competition there was absolutely insane,” Gavin said. “There’s just so much more, and it’s just a way better sailing venue.”
Through that program, Gavin met new coaches and joined a summer camp that challenged him in rougher conditions than he had ever faced. Later that summer, he entered his first major competition, the 2024 Junior Olympics. He entered three of the four events, finishing second in the Topper class, a single-handed youth sailboat known for its light weight and accessibility to developing sailors. He also competed in the Laser class, a faster and more technical Olympic-level dinghy that demands exceptional balance, strength, and tactical awareness. Although he struggled against the top national sailors in that fleet, one of his competitors would later go on to win Youth Nationals.
After the competition, Gavin was exhilarated and even more motivated. He realized how much ground he still had to cover but also how far he had already come.
“At that point, I’d say I was pretty good,” Gavin said. “I was starting to beat a lot of the kids [on Big Island] who had taught me how to sail in the first place. But Oahu? It was crazy to see the skill gap between the different islands.”
Later that year, after only nine months sailing the Laser, Gavin placed eighteenth out of twenty-four at States — a modest but promising start. After States, he practiced regularly and competed in monthly regattas. By September 2024, he had climbed to third in the state for under-18 and seventh overall, a leap that marked his arrival among Hawaii’s best youth sailors.
Gavin describes the Laser as a demanding feat that requires both body and mind to be in sync.
“Sailing a Laser is like trying to do gymnastics while holding a plank and playing chess at the same time,” Gavin said. “It’s especially true in heavier wind, it’s a really physical boat. You have to do something called hiking, where you lean off the side of the boat in basically a reverse plank. It’s very technical but also strategic. You’re using your body the whole time, but you’re also thinking several steps ahead.”
Outside of competition, Gavin also channels his passions into Sailing News Now (SSN), a daily e-newsletter he created to share updates, technology, and results from around the sailing world.
“There’s so much happening in sailing, but the information is scattered,” Gavin said. “The only way I used to hear about new boats or events was through Instagram, and even then, it was just whatever happened to show up.”
He built the newsletter as a way to simplify that. SSN’s daily publication only contains some short summaries and a few quick links. However, Gavin has designed it so readers can easily dig deeper if they are interested in a particular story.
His growing involvement in every part of the sport, from competing to writing, has been integral in his approach to life.
“Sailing has taught me a lot about perseverance and mental toughness,” Gavin said. The biggest thing is how sailing forces you to deal with constant change. The wind is never the same – you can’t do anything about it. You just deal with the cards you’re dealt. The faster you accept that and adjust, the better you’ll do.”
Though sailing takes up much of Gavin’s time, school is still a major priority for him. Balancing a demanding sailing schedule with academics is no easy feat. However, the flexibility of GWUOHS has made it possible for Gavin. He can work ahead before competitions and watch class recordings when travel or time zones conflict with live sessions.
“I can work ahead at any time and just go to a regatta without worrying,’ Gavin said. “Like this last one started on a Wednesday and ended on Sunday – I just went ahead in my work.”
He also feels that the school’s structure keeps him disciplined enough and teaches him to stay on top of things.
Currently, Gavin is focused on college applications but plans to resume with sailing competitions afterwards. Additionally, he intends to continue competing in college at higher and higher levels.
“I don’t want to flat-out say the Olympics, but yeah – the goal is kind of the Olympics,” Gavin said. “We’ll see how far that goes.”
