The William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup is a biannual Sailing Regatta put on by the William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup Association, Inc. in conjunction with the Sea Scouting (Boy Scouts of America). The event was founded by Bill Koch in 2002 in order to allow Sea Scouts from around the world to compete. The original National Sea Scout Sailing Championship began in the 1930s but went dormant when Sea Scouts left the program to serve in World War II.[1] Today Sea Scouts from around the world gather for a week of friendly competition. Scouts from Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, and the United States have participated.[2]
History
After nearly half a century since there was a Sea Scout national sailing competition, the Sea Scouts program asked Bill Koch if he would be interested in reviving the championship that had been dormant since World War II. Koch requested that the regatta be open to Scouts from around the world in order to foster international understanding and camaraderie.
The Koch Cup
Bill Koch president of the America³ Foundation, Inc. commissioned Asprey’s of London, the silversmith who made the original America's Cup trophy, to manufacture the William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup. The trophy referred to as The Koch Cup is made of silver and stands thirty-four inches tall. America³ Foundation, Inc. transferred the Cup to the National Scouting Museum where it is on display in the national Boy Scout Office in Irving, Texas[3] when not on loan to the Koch Cup or the America³ Foundation, Inc.
Kiwi Cup
Teams qualify on the first few days of the cup. Sea Scouts in the top half of the fleet qualify for the Koch Fleet and the rest qualify for the Kiwi Fleet. The Kiwi Cup was donated by the Sea Scouts of New Zealand in 2000. It is an authentic Maori carved statue that is presented to the winners of the Kiwi Fleet.[4]
Results
| Year | Location | Host | Winner of Koch Cup | Winner of Kiwi Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Chicago, IL | Columbia Yacht Club |  Thomas Hartman and Trevor Gurley[5]
|
P Cotera and J Cotera
|
| 2004 | Buzzards Bay, MA | Massachusetts Maritime Academy | Trevor Gurley and Corey Kemp[6]
|
 Erling Guderud and Siri Neslein
|
| 2006 | Miami, FL | Coral Reef Yacht Club | Corey Kemp and John Harada[7]
|
Andrew Scheuermann and Danielle Meeker
|
| 2008 | Annapolis, MD | United States Naval Academy | Patrick Arlington[8]
|
Eric Johnson and Levi White
|
| 2010 | New London, CT | United States Coast Guard Academy[9] | Cody Stansky and Andrew Britton[10][11]
|
Barchan Rodgers and Abby King
|
| 2012 | Vallejo, CA | California Maritime Academy[12] | Jack Donnell and Brooke Stinson[13][14]
|
Mathew Rozario and Colin Bartels
|
| 2014 | Long Beach, CA | Long Beach Yacht Club[15] | Ben Brough and Laura Roudebush[16]
|
Andrew Berkowitz and Isabella Rudrow
|
| 2016 | Long Beach, CA | Long Beach Yacht Club |  Nicholas Gardiner and Nicholas Williams [17]
|
Teagan Foley and Mick Foley
|
| 2018 | Galveston, TX | Sea Star Base Galveston | Max Katz-Christy and Thomas Craciun
|
Robert Gustke and Andrew York
|
| 2020 | Galveston, TX | Sea Star Base Galveston | Canceled due to COVID‐19Pandemic |
References
- ^ "2006 Koch Cup Press Release" (PDF).
- ^ "Sea Scouts from around the world match skills in the 10th Koch Cup help on Carquinez Strait". Contra Costa Times.
- ^ "California Team Takes 2014 William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup". Sea Scouts, BSA.
- ^ "2006 Koch Cup Press Release" (PDF).
- ^ "2002 Koch Cup Champions". William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup.
- ^ "2004 Koch Cup Champions". William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup.
- ^ "2006 Koch Cup Champions". William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup.
- ^ "2008 Koch Cup Champions". William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup.
- ^ "Quest for the Cup in New London". The Day.
- ^ "2010 Koch Cup Champions". William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup.
- ^ "Teen sailors win Sea Scout Cup sailing championship". The Palm Beach Post.
- ^ "Sea Scouts the world over sail for glory at Vallejo's Cal Maritime". Vallejo Times Herald.
- ^ "2012 Koch Cup Champions". William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup.
- ^ "Donnell, Stinson win Koch Cup". The Daily Pilot.
- ^ "ON THE WATER: Flying Junior Sailboats Scout For Cup". The Long Beach Gazette.
- ^ "2014 Koch Cup Champions". William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup.
- ^ "Marlborough duo claim William I Koch International Sea Scout Cup sailing trophy in California". Marlborough Express.
