NEW LONDON, Conn. —
It was a weekend of mixed results for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy dinghy and offshore sailing teams as they competed in five regattas across the east coast.
The Bears faced tough competition in two of the nation's most prominent collegiate events, the McMillan Cup and Open Atlantic Coast Championship (ACC), where they battled challenging conditions amidst highly-talented national fields. However, the team's depth and emerging talent were on display with a dominant victory at the all-freshman Connecticut College Invite and a strong mid-fleet finish at the competitive, three-division Oberg Trophy.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Open Atlantic Coast Championship
The Bears competed in one of the most competitive national open dinghy events of the fall season at the U.S. Naval Academy and placed 16th overall. Racing began on Saturday with light winds and difficult chop caused by heavy boat traffic, while Sunday brought more dynamic conditions with gusts up to 20 knots and waves up to two feet. Despite the challenges, sophomore Ben Reeser (Wilton Manors, Fla.) and freshman Isabella Clark (Newport Beach, Calif.) secured a first-place finish in the opening race on Sunday.
A Division: Bradley Whiteway (Potomac, Md.), Charlie Pohl (Euclid, Ohio), Reeser, Clark
B Division: Luke Zylinski (Lavallette, N.J.), Grace Austin (Moorpark, Calif.), Gavin VanManen (Rockford, Mich.)
RESULTS
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — McMillan Cup
Also hosted by the U.S. Naval Academy, the McMillan Cup saw the offshore team sailing aboard Navy 44s against top collegiate offshore programs, eventually finishing 9th in a very competitive field. Saturday featured light winds, while Sunday delivered more demanding conditions, with gusts up to 25 knots and 2-foot seas across seven races.
Skipper: Connor Boudreau (Suffield, Conn.)
Crew: Will Spada (Huntington, N.Y.), Sarah Evans (Stowes, Vt.), Ned Jobson (Madison, Conn.), Josh Golden (Arlington, Va.), Keith Teague (Dripping Springs, Tex.), Cathryn Hegner (San Antonio, Tex.), Ben de Ondarza (West Chazy, N.Y.)
Reserve: Alexis Taylor (Mason, Mich.)
RESULTS
NEW LONDON, Conn. — Connecticut College Invite
The Bears claimed a dominant win in a nine-team field at the Connecticut College Invite, sailed on the Thames River. Racing was held as a one-day event on Saturday, with nine races completed. The standout performance came from an all-freshman crew, highlighting the depth and promise of the Bears' incoming class.
A Division: Will Clay (Leonardtown, Md.), Grace Boudreau (Tequesta, Fla.)
B Division: Gus Fitchtenholtz (Brandord, Conn.), Morgan Batchelder (East Falmouth, Mass.)
RESULTS
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Oberg Trophy
At MIT's Oberg Trophy, the Bears finished seventh out of 18 teams. Saturday's light air led to a postponement, but racing resumed Sunday with 7–13 knot breezes. The team sailed 15 total races across three divisions. In A Division, freshman Richard Pokorny (Brick Township, N.J.) and sophomore Gabriella Fields (Key West, Fla.) earned a strong fourth-place finish, helping boost the Bears in the standings.
A Division: Pokorny, Fields
B Division: Joey Richardson (San Diego, Calif.), Julian Henderson (Camden, Maine)
C Division: Tomas Riccio (Rochester, N.Y.), Austin White (Tampa, Fla.)
RESULTS
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Yale Women's Interconference
In a competitive fleet of 18 teams, the the Coast Guard women's team placed 16th at the Yale Women's Interconference Regatta. Saturday's racing saw light 6-knot winds, while Sunday featured improved conditions with 9–12 knots of breeze and choppy waves. The Bears completed nine races per division over the two-day event.
A Division: Caroline Odell (Burke, Va.), Sarah Krajewski (Lewes, Del.)
B Division: Ella Demand (Toms River, N.J.), Olivia Spada (Huntington, N.Y.)
Reserve: Sydney Zylinski (Lavalette, N.J.)
RESULTS
Next weekend, the Bears will compete at four events, including conference championships for the dinghy team: the ICSA Small Keelboat Invitational (offshore) at Navy; the Schell Trophy and the Urn Trophy (dinghy), both co-hosted by Harvard and MIT; and the Nickerson Trophy at Tufts.
