The passion and determination of a young Barrington sailor

For as long as Ben Reuter can remember, he has always been sailing. In fact he cannot remember a point in his life when sailing was not integral to his experiences. A sport he fell in love with at a very young age has now, at 14, become a passion, one that has allowed him to sail competitively around the world.

In April, Ben helped the combined Team USA finish in first place among international sailing teams at the Magic Marine Easter Regatta that was hosted by the Braassemermeer Sailing Club located outside of Amsterdam.

For Ben, the competition proved to be a high point in what is fast becoming an impressive sailing resume. At the Regatta with 180 participants, Ben finished 27th overall while earning the second-best finish for Team USA. This was one of three international competitions he has qualified for and the second that he competed in. The other was a regatta in the Bahamas.

His success nationally and internationally has been the result of many years of hard work and progressive improvement. It is also the result of a great passion and a work ethic that is obvious to all who meet him.

“I haven’t met many who love the water as much as Ben. Always willing to come to practice and always ready to go sailing,” noted Joakim T. Karlsen of JK Sailing LLC, an organization that works to develop elite sailors.

Ben began sailing at the age of 5. A year later, he started sailing dinghies and keelboats. Typically, dinghies are less than 20 feet long and do not have weighted keels to keep them upright. They are easy to maneuver and can accelerate fast. Keelboats, on the other hand, have a weighted keel that offers more stability and better tracking in the water. It is the usual progression for someone wanting to race competitively.

At the age of 8, he started sailing the Optis, which is a small dinghy often used by sailors under the age of 15. It is one of the two most popular dinghies in the world. A year later, competitive sailing became his next step. He is now sailing 420s, which have a two-person crew.

His training has taken place in several locations including the Barrington Yacht Club, JK Sailing, and he continues it now as a freshman at Barrington High School with the Barrington High School Sailing Team.

“Ben loves all kinds of boating: whether he is sailing in a dinghy, racing on a keelboat or driving a powerboat, he is happiest on the water,” says Benjamin Chwalk, Barrington High School Sailing Coach. “It’s not uncommon to see Ben come in from a day of dinghy racing and jump on a keelboat for an evening series.”

His hope is that sailing will be the sport of a lifetime. He is brilliantly positioned for this to be the case, and his passion and determination point to a bright future for this young athlete.

DOUG STARK, of Barrington, is a writer,  museum consultant and sports historian. If you have any Rhode Island Jewish athletes you’d like to see us interview, contact editor@jewishallianceri.org.