Stewart’s strong finish has qualified him to represent the US in Nieuwpoort, Belgium this summer at the Flanders International Youth Race Week. The US will be sending other teams to Worlds, Europeans, North Americans and British Nationals.

Stewart is 13-year-old eighth grader at DMS and a member of the DBMS sailing team. His sailing career began at the Duxbury Bay Maritime School when he was nine years old. He has sailed in several regional and national events over the past several years, including the Opti Nationals, Atlantic Coast Championships, and the New England Championships throughout the United States. Stewart also sails as part of the Fort Adams Sailing Team, out of Newport, Rhode Island.

The USODA Team Trials is an invitational event that took place at the Noroton Yacht Club in Darien, Connecticut in early May. Sailors from throughout the US qualify for the event based upon success at national-level events throughout the year. Stewart was invited to participate in the Team Trials after his strong performance at the Opti Nationals held on Long Island last summer. 

The USODA Team Trials took place over four days in light to moderate wind. The light, shifting breeze, coupled with strong currents, made this a challenging event for the entire fleet. After the first day, Stewart found himself in 113th place. However, after a series of strong starts and key tactical decisions, he fought his way into 60th place by the end of Day Three. This included a third-place and two fifth-places finishes. Severe weather on the final day limited the racing to two races, but Stewart won the first race of the day and pushed his final position to 50th overall.