NUST has done some pretty amazing things for fundraising this past year. We have taken people out on Lake Michigan in 420s for Sail with a Sailor, we have written hundreds of letters for Northwestern’s Thank-a-Thon, we have thrown our alumni a formal Alumni Dinner and Regatta, as well as done the vending at concession stands for Northwestern football games. However, our most interesting fundraiser to date has been the Disney’s Morninglight Chicago Premiere.
On November 13th, 2008 NUST hosted the premier in the Chicago area of the movie Morninglight, a documentary on the youngest crew to complete the 2007 Transpac, a race spanning from Los Angeles to Hawaii in 10 days. The event was held at the Evanston Century Theatre. Along with the movie premiere, the team also brought Captain Ed Furry for a question and answer portion of the night, hosted a raffle with donations from local sailing and retail stores, and had drink specials in the Rhythm Lounge of the theatre. The event was a big success for the team. A lot of local Chicago sailors and Northwestern alumni came and proceeds from the ticket sales and the raffle went to the team. In the end, we raised over $1,000 dollars for the NUST, which will help us be able to become a more competitive team and get a full time coach for the spring season.
Everyone who came to support the team seemed to really enjoy the event. The team members also really enjoyed the movie and the talk with Captain Ed Furry, after which there was much mumbling about wanting to sail long distance races in exotic places. One highlight of the film is when the team meets up with their biggest competition in the middle of the ocean and the pressure to win becomes very intense. It was a very inspiring film and the bonding of the crew reminded us all of how sailing brought us together. Overall, it was a successful and fun evening that ended up being very beneficial to the team. Go NUST!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Sixth Time Is The Charm: Senior Jimmy Costakis goes to Singlehanded Nationals
It had long been my dream to qualify for Laser nationals. Every fall since sophomore year of high school, I would drive to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, or Chicago to compete in the Midwest qualifier. Each time I would fall short. But for me, the sixth time was a charm.
As a senior, I had one last chance. The qualifier was in Milwaukee in early October. After two days of extremely close racing, under conditions varying from drifting conditions to a stiff sea breeze of 15 knots, I clung to a qualifying spot by one point. I was on my way to nationals!
I arrived in cold, overcast Ithaca, New York on October 23rd. The next morning, a stiff breeze greeted the 18 men and 18 women sailors who had qualified for the event. Our brand-new boats were neatly arranged on the grass, dew trickling down their sides. After an hour-long procession, we obtained our sails, rigging, and spars, and got to work flipping, rigging, and inspecting the boats. Soon, all 36 of us were on the water, surrounded by pleasant fall foliage. I was very glad to be there.
But Friday’s five races would put that positive attitude to the test. In the first race, I fought my way to the first mark in 12th, but finished 16th after capsizing three times. The second race saw the same finish, as I sailed tentatively downwind, avoiding capsize. Exhaustion began to set in. In the third race, I capsized once, falling from 14th to 16th.
Then, in the fourth, I could no longer keep my composure. The upwind legs were endurance races: with winds above 20 knots, it was all I could do to keep my boatspeed in the same ballpark as my competitors. The air was cold, the water colder, and each
capsize brought me closer to exhaustion. As I rounded the weather mark, my boat hopped up onto a plane. I smiled. But keeping the 130 pound boat stable as it flew downwind was no easy task for me in my fatigued state. I capsized twice. Then, as I capsized a third time, I was thrown from my boat while grasping the tiller defiantly. I heard a cracking sound. But as I slowly crawled back into my righted boat, nothing appeared to be broken. I grabbed the tiller and sheeted in. I was no longer steering the boat – only half the tiller was in my hand: I was waving it through the air as the other half steered the boat toward a fourth capsize. I got control of the boat and sailed in toward shore. I had broken my own carbon tiller, but I had a backup on shore that
LaserPerformance had provided the boats. Helpful Cornell sailors held my boat as I grabbed the backup tiller and quickly swapped out my broken one. Another men’s division sailor was having trouble, so the race committee started the women’s division while I sailed quickly back out to the race course. I made it out to the course for the next race, but struggled with the shorter tiller, capsizing twice and finishing 18th. I finished the day 2 points out of 16th place.
Saturday was rainy and not as windy, but I was still thoroughly tired from Friday. I struggled to get off the starting line with my competitors. I would set up well, but sheet in a second too slowly, or hike a little too late. I remained in 17th place after Saturday.
Sunday I finally felt as though I was competing competently. The air was warmer and dry, and the wind had calmed a bit. In race 15, I gybed outside near the finish to catch a puff, narrowly passing 2 boats and finishing a regatta-best 15th. I was still not satisfied. In race 16, I saw a right favor, and won the boat. I hiked hard, sailed smart, and rounded the weather mark in 6th. After a mediocre downwind leg, I rounded the wrong gate, and stayed out left too long on the beat – I fell to 17th in a single leg.
This would be the pattern for the day – strong first beats, mediocre downwind legs, and poor decisions on the second beat.
In the next race, I rounded the weather mark in 7th after a bad start. I nearly pinched off Thomas Barrows, a sailor from Yale who competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the Laser. But again, I rounded the wrong gate, tacked off a lift, and fell to 16th.
As the warning sounded for the final race, I decided that I was not satisfied with my performance. I would sail my very hardest. A tricky start left me in the second row, but I hiked as hard as I possibly could, squirting out to the right with Billy Martin from Boston University. For several minutes we battled for first, trading positions with each header and lift. My legs burned. After two tacks in, I was in first by a hair, only 10 boat-lengths from the mark. Unfortunately for me, a lefty snuck in, winding six competitors inside of me at the mark – I rounded 7th. Again, the wrong gate, the wrong way on the second beat, and I fell to 16th. But now I was happy. Now I knew I could hang with the fastest college Laser sailors in the country.
I just have to learn how to sail downwind.
Special thanks go to the University of Wisconsin sailing team, and the Porter family. They were kind enough to offer me rides to and from the sailing venue and the airport. We ate meals together, and John Porter, a Wisconsin alum, helped me rig a sweet system using the stock LaserPerformance setup. John and his father helped coach me at the event.
As a senior, I had one last chance. The qualifier was in Milwaukee in early October. After two days of extremely close racing, under conditions varying from drifting conditions to a stiff sea breeze of 15 knots, I clung to a qualifying spot by one point. I was on my way to nationals!
I arrived in cold, overcast Ithaca, New York on October 23rd. The next morning, a stiff breeze greeted the 18 men and 18 women sailors who had qualified for the event. Our brand-new boats were neatly arranged on the grass, dew trickling down their sides. After an hour-long procession, we obtained our sails, rigging, and spars, and got to work flipping, rigging, and inspecting the boats. Soon, all 36 of us were on the water, surrounded by pleasant fall foliage. I was very glad to be there.
But Friday’s five races would put that positive attitude to the test. In the first race, I fought my way to the first mark in 12th, but finished 16th after capsizing three times. The second race saw the same finish, as I sailed tentatively downwind, avoiding capsize. Exhaustion began to set in. In the third race, I capsized once, falling from 14th to 16th.
Then, in the fourth, I could no longer keep my composure. The upwind legs were endurance races: with winds above 20 knots, it was all I could do to keep my boatspeed in the same ballpark as my competitors. The air was cold, the water colder, and each
capsize brought me closer to exhaustion. As I rounded the weather mark, my boat hopped up onto a plane. I smiled. But keeping the 130 pound boat stable as it flew downwind was no easy task for me in my fatigued state. I capsized twice. Then, as I capsized a third time, I was thrown from my boat while grasping the tiller defiantly. I heard a cracking sound. But as I slowly crawled back into my righted boat, nothing appeared to be broken. I grabbed the tiller and sheeted in. I was no longer steering the boat – only half the tiller was in my hand: I was waving it through the air as the other half steered the boat toward a fourth capsize. I got control of the boat and sailed in toward shore. I had broken my own carbon tiller, but I had a backup on shore that
LaserPerformance had provided the boats. Helpful Cornell sailors held my boat as I grabbed the backup tiller and quickly swapped out my broken one. Another men’s division sailor was having trouble, so the race committee started the women’s division while I sailed quickly back out to the race course. I made it out to the course for the next race, but struggled with the shorter tiller, capsizing twice and finishing 18th. I finished the day 2 points out of 16th place.
Saturday was rainy and not as windy, but I was still thoroughly tired from Friday. I struggled to get off the starting line with my competitors. I would set up well, but sheet in a second too slowly, or hike a little too late. I remained in 17th place after Saturday.
Sunday I finally felt as though I was competing competently. The air was warmer and dry, and the wind had calmed a bit. In race 15, I gybed outside near the finish to catch a puff, narrowly passing 2 boats and finishing a regatta-best 15th. I was still not satisfied. In race 16, I saw a right favor, and won the boat. I hiked hard, sailed smart, and rounded the weather mark in 6th. After a mediocre downwind leg, I rounded the wrong gate, and stayed out left too long on the beat – I fell to 17th in a single leg.
This would be the pattern for the day – strong first beats, mediocre downwind legs, and poor decisions on the second beat.
In the next race, I rounded the weather mark in 7th after a bad start. I nearly pinched off Thomas Barrows, a sailor from Yale who competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the Laser. But again, I rounded the wrong gate, tacked off a lift, and fell to 16th.
As the warning sounded for the final race, I decided that I was not satisfied with my performance. I would sail my very hardest. A tricky start left me in the second row, but I hiked as hard as I possibly could, squirting out to the right with Billy Martin from Boston University. For several minutes we battled for first, trading positions with each header and lift. My legs burned. After two tacks in, I was in first by a hair, only 10 boat-lengths from the mark. Unfortunately for me, a lefty snuck in, winding six competitors inside of me at the mark – I rounded 7th. Again, the wrong gate, the wrong way on the second beat, and I fell to 16th. But now I was happy. Now I knew I could hang with the fastest college Laser sailors in the country.
I just have to learn how to sail downwind.
Special thanks go to the University of Wisconsin sailing team, and the Porter family. They were kind enough to offer me rides to and from the sailing venue and the airport. We ate meals together, and John Porter, a Wisconsin alum, helped me rig a sweet system using the stock LaserPerformance setup. John and his father helped coach me at the event.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Homecomings Old and New
Homecoming weekend at Northwestern is a busy weekend for everyone. There is a pep rally, a parade, fireworks, and of course a football game. However, on Saturday night after the game one could find sailors young and old gathered at The Mallinckrodt Center nearby in Wilmette for a delicious dinner and night of fun. The team left their drysuits back at the boathouse for one night and donned their finest attire, hardly recognizable with dry clothes and hair.
It was a true homecoming with NUST alumni returning to spend the evening reminiscing with old teammates. They had wisdom and stories to share with the twenty-seven new little mateys on the team, and fit right into the Northwestern sailing family. They sat down together and feasted on lasagna, chips and salsa, and a whole lot of delicious homemade guacamole. Nothing could wash this down better than the shockingly delicious purple sherbet punch. Who knew something that strange a color could taste so good? There were toasts, many a photo, and then the dancing ensued, all while the faithful Bostonians cheered the Red Sox to a win. The night flew by, and all were sad to see it end, but the end to one fun night was in no way an end to the fun.
It was a true homecoming with NUST alumni returning to spend the evening reminiscing with old teammates. They had wisdom and stories to share with the twenty-seven new little mateys on the team, and fit right into the Northwestern sailing family. They sat down together and feasted on lasagna, chips and salsa, and a whole lot of delicious homemade guacamole. Nothing could wash this down better than the shockingly delicious purple sherbet punch. Who knew something that strange a color could taste so good? There were toasts, many a photo, and then the dancing ensued, all while the faithful Bostonians cheered the Red Sox to a win. The night flew by, and all were sad to see it end, but the end to one fun night was in no way an end to the fun.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Recruitment ‘08: from sand-shufflers to sailors
I still vividly remember my NUST tryout. I trekked to South Beach on a complete whim when now-teammate Teresa Fox invited me to accompany her to a tryout for a sport I’d never attempted. I nervously shuffled my feet in the sand while chattering with my future teammates, unaware these would be my eventual best friends. I knocked now-Commodore Dre Collier’s Oakleys into the abyss of Lake Michigan and I played up my summer camp windsurfing experience a bit too much. On the beach that day, we exemplified “freshmen”- enthusiastic but painfully awkward.
This fall, three years later, I got to experience the whirlwind of tryouts from the opposite side as co-recruitment chair with sophomore Eric Michel. In a process that lasted five solid days and included long hours, logistical nightmares and difficult decisions, we cut 150 hopefuls down to a class of 27. In NUST tradition, we selected this new class as a team, and every decision was agreed upon based on skill level, dedication, enthusiasm, team cohesion and athletic aptitude. Deliberations were tedious but ultimately very rewarding.
I couldn’t be more proud of the NUST class of 2012. They are vivacious, talented and cohesive. They’re excited about the team and they show enormous potential to take NUST to new levels in the MCSA and nationally. Oh yea – and they’re a whole lot of fun, too. I have faith that, just like my peers, this class will transform from sand-shuffling freshmen to dedicated sailors and I look forward to watching it happen!
This fall, three years later, I got to experience the whirlwind of tryouts from the opposite side as co-recruitment chair with sophomore Eric Michel. In a process that lasted five solid days and included long hours, logistical nightmares and difficult decisions, we cut 150 hopefuls down to a class of 27. In NUST tradition, we selected this new class as a team, and every decision was agreed upon based on skill level, dedication, enthusiasm, team cohesion and athletic aptitude. Deliberations were tedious but ultimately very rewarding.
I couldn’t be more proud of the NUST class of 2012. They are vivacious, talented and cohesive. They’re excited about the team and they show enormous potential to take NUST to new levels in the MCSA and nationally. Oh yea – and they’re a whole lot of fun, too. I have faith that, just like my peers, this class will transform from sand-shuffling freshmen to dedicated sailors and I look forward to watching it happen!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
National Dream Deferred
Sloop Qualifyers was held out of Detroit Yacht Club Sept. 20-21, 2008. Out of an expected 15 schools, 14 showed to sail Flying Scots. Tod Reynolds skippered, Liz Hines was on Jib and Spin trim, and Joe Teno worked the foredeck. Our only preparation for this regatta was two days of boat handling practice out of Sheridan Shores the week before.
Racing was postponed both Saturday and Sunday, but 9 races still took place between the two. NU got off to a rocky start due to the light air and strong current and were 3 min late to the start of the first race. Determined to place better the second race Tod tried to win the boat and again, thanks to the current, got hung up on the Committee boat and had to do a spin. There were lots of nerves at work on the NU boat. However, with lots of racing left Liz and Joe were able to refocus Tod and get him sailing well again and NU finished Saturday with a 2nd a 4th. While other schools were also inconsistent, we knew that we had a lot of work to do going into Sunday. Thanks to NUST alum Cliff Harding who was housing the NU team for the weekend, everyone was able to relax for the night and prepare for the next day.
Sunday brought a different wind direction and different NU results. Sticking to the original game plan of conservative sailing and minimizing mistakes NU was able to go 1, 2, 2, 3 in the first 4 races of the day. This left us 1 point out of first, and two points ahead of 3rd going into the last race. On the start of the last race, Tod shifted his mindset to match racing the top two boats in order to secure a spot at Nationals. Sure enough, the third place team presented themselves on the starting line and NU went in for the kill drawing a penalty. NU went on to place second in the race and won the regatta on the water.
Unfortunately, Tod decided that although NU had won the regatta, the sportsman like thing to do was follow through with the protest against Owens that had come about during the last race, and through some twisted turn of fate NU ended up getting disqualified. Tod, Liz, and Joe left Detroit disappointed in the decision to protest and upset that they would not be going to Nationals.
Racing was postponed both Saturday and Sunday, but 9 races still took place between the two. NU got off to a rocky start due to the light air and strong current and were 3 min late to the start of the first race. Determined to place better the second race Tod tried to win the boat and again, thanks to the current, got hung up on the Committee boat and had to do a spin. There were lots of nerves at work on the NU boat. However, with lots of racing left Liz and Joe were able to refocus Tod and get him sailing well again and NU finished Saturday with a 2nd a 4th. While other schools were also inconsistent, we knew that we had a lot of work to do going into Sunday. Thanks to NUST alum Cliff Harding who was housing the NU team for the weekend, everyone was able to relax for the night and prepare for the next day.
Sunday brought a different wind direction and different NU results. Sticking to the original game plan of conservative sailing and minimizing mistakes NU was able to go 1, 2, 2, 3 in the first 4 races of the day. This left us 1 point out of first, and two points ahead of 3rd going into the last race. On the start of the last race, Tod shifted his mindset to match racing the top two boats in order to secure a spot at Nationals. Sure enough, the third place team presented themselves on the starting line and NU went in for the kill drawing a penalty. NU went on to place second in the race and won the regatta on the water.
Unfortunately, Tod decided that although NU had won the regatta, the sportsman like thing to do was follow through with the protest against Owens that had come about during the last race, and through some twisted turn of fate NU ended up getting disqualified. Tod, Liz, and Joe left Detroit disappointed in the decision to protest and upset that they would not be going to Nationals.
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