While most of the school was getting ready for the big spring concert weekend of Dillo Day, 10 of NUST’s finest traveled to Madison, WI for college team racing nationals. Geoff Pedrick, Michael Cornew, Tod Reynolds, Allie Gullquist, Andrew Wien, Kim Wieczner, Maija Mikkila, Nina Lincoff, Katherine Nickele, and Bryan Stenson were generously hosted by recent alumna Liz Hines and a transfer to UW, Rich Pang. The team woke up early on Saturday morning to register and then proceeded to wait around while the unseasonably warm weather kept the wind at bay. After a few false starts, our round robin eventually got going at around 3pm. After a lucky break in our first race, we were able to give our subsequent opponents hard fights including holding our own against Yale until eventually being unable to hold them long enough to win.
We did not beat enough teams to advance to Gold fleet the next day, so we had a relaxed morning while waiting for the Silver round robin on Sunday afternoon. The wind was stronger and shiftier than the day before and required more concentration to compete as well as the day before. Unfortunately, we were unable to continue our level of performance from the day before and finished with only two wins in Silver fleet and ended up 12th of 14 overall.
Despite finishing worse than we had wanted, we saw the level of competition that the best teams were capable of and how close our team is to being at that point. We look forward to competing again in nationals next year so we can continue to show our team’s abilities and hopefully finish higher than we did in Madison.
Geoff Pedrick
McCormick 2012
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
MCSA TR Qualifier - Univ. of Wisconsin - May 8-9
The weekend of May 8-9th, ten Northwestern University Sailors and coach Arthur Blodgett headed up to Madison, WI to attempt to qualify for the ICSA Team Race Nationals. The conditions of first day of sailing were “not pleasant”. Sailors, volunteers, race committee members, and umpires endured very cold temperatures, wind speeds of 18-23 knots, large waves for lake Mendota, and two hail storms.
Seven teams competed and two round robins were completed on the first day. St. Thomas, Ohio State, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Notre Dame, University of Minnesota, and Northwestern were all present. In the first round robin, Northwestern won 4 races against St. Thomas, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Minnesota. Northwestern unfortunately lost to Wisconsin and Michigan. In the second round robin, St. Thomas retired due to the cold, so Northwestern only sailed 5 times. This time, Northwestern only lost to Wisconsin and brought their total wins up to 8. At the end of the day on Saturday, Wisconsin was in first with 11 wins while Minnesota and Northwestern had 8 wins each with the tiebreaker going to Northwestern. Saturday was a long day and Northwestern was ahead by a sliver.
Sunday presented very different conditions. It was 60 degrees and there was no wind the entire day. Racing was postponed and the day of sailing was eventually abandoned at noon. With this end of racing, Northwestern officially qualified for the ICSA Team Race Nationals! The entire team got in a 420 for a celebratory photo. The team enjoyed Ian’s Pizza and the ice cream in the Wisco union before the car ride home.
Congrats to Tod Reynolds, Nina Lincoff, Kim Wieczner, Maija Mikkila, Michael Cornew, Geoff Pedrick, Andrew Wein, Noah Aldonas, Bryan Stenson, and Allie Gullquist for qualifying for Team Race Nationals!
-Michael Cornew, WCAS 2013
Seven teams competed and two round robins were completed on the first day. St. Thomas, Ohio State, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Notre Dame, University of Minnesota, and Northwestern were all present. In the first round robin, Northwestern won 4 races against St. Thomas, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Minnesota. Northwestern unfortunately lost to Wisconsin and Michigan. In the second round robin, St. Thomas retired due to the cold, so Northwestern only sailed 5 times. This time, Northwestern only lost to Wisconsin and brought their total wins up to 8. At the end of the day on Saturday, Wisconsin was in first with 11 wins while Minnesota and Northwestern had 8 wins each with the tiebreaker going to Northwestern. Saturday was a long day and Northwestern was ahead by a sliver.
Sunday presented very different conditions. It was 60 degrees and there was no wind the entire day. Racing was postponed and the day of sailing was eventually abandoned at noon. With this end of racing, Northwestern officially qualified for the ICSA Team Race Nationals! The entire team got in a 420 for a celebratory photo. The team enjoyed Ian’s Pizza and the ice cream in the Wisco union before the car ride home.
Congrats to Tod Reynolds, Nina Lincoff, Kim Wieczner, Maija Mikkila, Michael Cornew, Geoff Pedrick, Andrew Wein, Noah Aldonas, Bryan Stenson, and Allie Gullquist for qualifying for Team Race Nationals!
-Michael Cornew, WCAS 2013
College Sailing Semifinals - CofC - May 1-2
Less than 12 hours after receiving a call from our coach that our B skipper Geoff Pedrick hurt his knee playing beach soccer and would not be able to sail for Co-Ed Semis, I was in the car with my A skipper Michael Cornew picking up the rest of our team for the epic drive to Charleston.
As we made our rounds from house, to sorority, to dorm, the car was soon filled with Kim Weiczner, Bryan Stenson, Noah Aldonas,and our coach Arthur Blodgett, and we were on our way to Semis by 6 am Friday morning. We couldn't stop talking about our savior Andrew Wien, our new B skipper who was flying from Annapolis to meet us in Charleston, where we would pick him up late Friday night. The drive was rather roomy with one less sailor, and we arrived in Charleston in record time.
After reviewing strategy for the current in Cooper River, (a venue only I was slightly familiar with due to a Women's regatta there earlier this year) we went to bed in our hotel that was filled with other sailors from around the country. Saturday morning brought us beautiful 80 degree weather and heavy winds. We had a great view from the dock, where we could almost reach out and touch boats that were banging the corner. I sailed the first two races, then sat our the rest of the day, allowing heavy crew Aldonas to keep the boat flat. After a head injury to B heavy crew Stenson, Weiczner subbed in so we could make sure no serious damage was done. Sunday's conditiond were very similar with lots of waves, current, wind, and sun. Arthur kept our spirits high, talking with us about every aspect of the race - the line, body movement in the boat, the current, the waves, and how to adjust our mark roundings to the current.
As we made our rounds from house, to sorority, to dorm, the car was soon filled with Kim Weiczner, Bryan Stenson, Noah Aldonas,and our coach Arthur Blodgett, and we were on our way to Semis by 6 am Friday morning. We couldn't stop talking about our savior Andrew Wien, our new B skipper who was flying from Annapolis to meet us in Charleston, where we would pick him up late Friday night. The drive was rather roomy with one less sailor, and we arrived in Charleston in record time.
After reviewing strategy for the current in Cooper River, (a venue only I was slightly familiar with due to a Women's regatta there earlier this year) we went to bed in our hotel that was filled with other sailors from around the country. Saturday morning brought us beautiful 80 degree weather and heavy winds. We had a great view from the dock, where we could almost reach out and touch boats that were banging the corner. I sailed the first two races, then sat our the rest of the day, allowing heavy crew Aldonas to keep the boat flat. After a head injury to B heavy crew Stenson, Weiczner subbed in so we could make sure no serious damage was done. Sunday's conditiond were very similar with lots of waves, current, wind, and sun. Arthur kept our spirits high, talking with us about every aspect of the race - the line, body movement in the boat, the current, the waves, and how to adjust our mark roundings to the current.
As expected, the competition was tough, and unfortunately we were not able to make it in the top half of the fleet that were sent to Nationals. However, we improved tremendously over the two days and had a great time in Charleston. As a graduting senior, I expect that NUST picks up where we left off and makes it even furthur year after year.
-Maija Mikkila, SESP 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Intrepid Trophy - US Naval Academy - April 24-25
The new thing in college keelboat sailing is match racing, and after our successful trip to Sheboygan in the fall, we decided to continue our match racing schedule with the Intrepid Trophy at the end of April. Tod Reynolds, Nick Campbell, Joe Teno, and Geoff Pedrick – the four sailors who made up the sloops and match race team in the fall – went to Annapolis to compete against 11 other schools at the US Naval Academy. We were postponed for a while and had our first match against Navy in their boats and their home waters. That race didn’t really go well for us, but we quickly were able to apply our match racing experience in later races and win against some of the harder teams at the regatta. We got halfway through the round robin before dusk and set aside the rest of the races for Sunday.
On Saturday night we met up with a few current seniors and a few recent graduates who were chartering a boat in the area. Good times were had by all.
Sunday morning brought with it a rather unpleasant absence of wind and we were again postponed. The race committee decided on a different format for the remainder of the regatta so we were able to fit in all of the races we needed to accurately rank everyone. We ended up in 6th after two poor starts that day but came away with valuable match race experience that will help us next fall when it becomes the new sloop championship format.
-Geoff Pedrick, McCormick 2012
On Saturday night we met up with a few current seniors and a few recent graduates who were chartering a boat in the area. Good times were had by all.
Sunday morning brought with it a rather unpleasant absence of wind and we were again postponed. The race committee decided on a different format for the remainder of the regatta so we were able to fit in all of the races we needed to accurately rank everyone. We ended up in 6th after two poor starts that day but came away with valuable match race experience that will help us next fall when it becomes the new sloop championship format.
-Geoff Pedrick, McCormick 2012
MCSA Women's Qualifier - Univ. of Illinois - April 24-25
This past weekend, five of the Northwestern female sailors traveled to Champaign, IL, along with coach Arthur Blodgett, to compete in the women’s qualifying regatta for either Nationals or Semifinals. There were a total of seven teams at the regatta competing for the top three finishes, and we ended up fourth overall. Northwestern A Division skipper Allie Gullquist and crew Olivia Green finished fourth, and B Division skipper Sarah Hughes and crews Carolyn Fallert and Lauren Radomski finished fifth.
The weekend dawned warm, but cloudy, with threats of thunderstorms. Racing started a little late on Saturday, but we were able to get through six races in the A division and four races in the B division before thunder and lightning stopped racing for the day. It was quite different sailing on a small lake when we’re used to the huge Lake Michigan; the ever-present shifts and puffs were a big change! Apart from the shifty wind; however, had a steady breeze, which only increased as the thunderstorm rolled in. Soon after coming off the water, we learned that there would only be one set sailed this weekend (a total of seven races for each division). Going into Sunday, we were several points out of third place, and had only four races to catch up. The day dawned a little colder, but with a much steadier breeze. B division started off with a set of two races, followed by a half set for each division (one race for As, and one race for Bs). Although we were able to catch up, unfortunately it wasn’t enough, and we finished fourth. We look forward to (hopefully) qualifying next year!
- Allie Gullquist, WCAS 2013
The weekend dawned warm, but cloudy, with threats of thunderstorms. Racing started a little late on Saturday, but we were able to get through six races in the A division and four races in the B division before thunder and lightning stopped racing for the day. It was quite different sailing on a small lake when we’re used to the huge Lake Michigan; the ever-present shifts and puffs were a big change! Apart from the shifty wind; however, had a steady breeze, which only increased as the thunderstorm rolled in. Soon after coming off the water, we learned that there would only be one set sailed this weekend (a total of seven races for each division). Going into Sunday, we were several points out of third place, and had only four races to catch up. The day dawned a little colder, but with a much steadier breeze. B division started off with a set of two races, followed by a half set for each division (one race for As, and one race for Bs). Although we were able to catch up, unfortunately it wasn’t enough, and we finished fourth. We look forward to (hopefully) qualifying next year!
- Allie Gullquist, WCAS 2013
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Three-Way Regatta - Univ. of Wisconsin - April 24-25
This past weekend seven Northwestern University sailors traveled to Madison, WI to compete in a 3-division regatta hosted by the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Northwestern competed against 8 other teams in 420s and Tech dinghies. A full regatta with 9 races in each division was planned and completed by 1pm Central time on April 25th with Minnesota taking first overall.
Northwestern’s A division sailors, Eric Michel and Katherine Nickele, represented the team well and placed fourth in their division! Despite some unpleasantly cool weather, all sailors enjoyed their stay in Madison. Regattas like this make us remember how much fun sailing in the MCSA can be. This regatta was particularly fun because it involved sailing Tech dinghies, a boat practically nobody in the MCSA has any experience sailing. Competing in a tech dinghy, which I would liken to a grown man’s optimist, was certainly a very interesting experience. Special thanks to the organizing committee from U of Wisconsin for putting on a great regatta! The Northwestern University Sailing Team looks forward to returning in a few weeks for Team Race National Qualifiers.
-Justin McMath, McCormick 2011
Northwestern’s A division sailors, Eric Michel and Katherine Nickele, represented the team well and placed fourth in their division! Despite some unpleasantly cool weather, all sailors enjoyed their stay in Madison. Regattas like this make us remember how much fun sailing in the MCSA can be. This regatta was particularly fun because it involved sailing Tech dinghies, a boat practically nobody in the MCSA has any experience sailing. Competing in a tech dinghy, which I would liken to a grown man’s optimist, was certainly a very interesting experience. Special thanks to the organizing committee from U of Wisconsin for putting on a great regatta! The Northwestern University Sailing Team looks forward to returning in a few weeks for Team Race National Qualifiers.
-Justin McMath, McCormick 2011
Monday, April 26, 2010
MCSA Co-ed Quals - Notre Dame - April 17-18
Friday evening, April 16th, seven of us, six sailors and coach Arthur Blodgett, headed east to Notre Dame for MCSA co-ed qualifiers. We were warmly welcomed into team member David Harris’ home where we were graciously housed for the weekend. We woke up early Saturday morning and headed to the regatta site on Eagle Lake, just over the Michigan border. The forecast had predicted high winds, but Michael Cornew, our A skipper, went out with Maija Mikkila, his lightweight crew, for the first set. The wind seemed to build before our eyes, so for the B set Geoff Pedrick went out with Bryan Stenson, his heavy crew. A sudden capsize sent Geoff and Bryan’s mast into the mud, and caused an unfortunate last place finish, but after a rocky start, both Michael and Geoff worked their way up the rankings throughout the day, accompanied by heavy crews Justin Cohler and Bryan. Maija and I spent most of the day cheering on our team through the heavy wind, and working on a one thousand piece sailing jigsaw puzzle in the warmth of the sailing club. At around three or four in the afternoon, races were called for the day, the wind having steadily increased. After exploring the Notre Dame campus and getting a good night sleep, Sunday’s light wind conditions allowed Maija and I to sail. We continued to sail fast, finishing in third place overall and successfully qualifying for semifinals in Charleston May 1st and 2nd.
- Kim Wieczner, SoC 2012
- Kim Wieczner, SoC 2012
Rainier Cup - Cascade Locks, Oregon - April 17-18
Max Clemons, Andrew Wien, Joe Teno, and Steve Blackman arrived in Cascade Locks, Oregon for the Rainier Cup Regatta at around 1:00 a.m. early Saturday Morning on April 17th. We set up our tent and quickly went to bed. We woke up to find ourselves in a valley next to the Columbian river surrounded by snow-capped mountains. We had a delayed start for sailing because the wind was so light that the current of the river was more powerful. Fortunately the wind quickly picked up and we sailed from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday. We sailed in FJs against multiple West Coast schools such as the University of Oregon, University of Washington, and Portland State. The wind started off light but rose to around 12 knots and beautiful sunny 65 degrees for most of the day. We sailed all right, nothing too special and ended up in the middle of the pack. That night all the schools camped out by the water and had a BBQ, which was a really nice time. Sunday we started sailing at about 10am. We got to truly see why Cascade Locks is one of the windsurfing capitals of the world as the wind was blowing a constant 15 with gusts up to 20 or 25 all day. We did a little bit better today and ended up getting 5th out of 16 overall. The Regatta ended at 3pm and we were able to spend the evening and the next day exploring a local town Hood River, venturing to the Pacific Ocean, and spending an afternoon in Portland, all before catching our redeye flight back to Northwestern Tuesday morning.
-Max Clemons, WCAS 2012
-Max Clemons, WCAS 2012
Buckeye Intersectional - Ohio State University - April 10-11
Destination: Cleveland, OH
NUST Representatives: Brett Herda, Brit Hvide, Sharon Lo, Justin McMath
Arrival Time: 2:00 AM Central
Upon arriving at Justin McMath’s friendly abode, the parental units were already sleeping and we were instead instantly greeted by the comfort that was suburbia. The next morning Justin’s mother had already prepared a lovely breakfast that was healthy and quite delicious. It was at breakfast that I was then informed that today was not a 420 sailing day—no, no—it was FJ sailing day. Coming into college with no sailing experience, I was a worried. My skipper reassuringly told me that he had never sailed an FJ either so surely we would dominate in the races.
Surprisingly, Justin was right. Although we did not dominate, the other Northwestern boat (Brit and Brett) did extremely well and I realized sailing an FJ really was no different than a 420. I could not have asked for a more beautiful day or setting to learn a little bit more about a sport that was very new in my life. I felt like I was cultivating an everlasting friendship.
It was pretty apparent that the sailors had gotten a bit of sun that day. Everyone was nice and flushed…except me of course. In any cause, the first day of sailing was in very light wind and fairly warm weather. The regatta was run very well and we were able to get 4 full rotations in. We didn’t have as much luck on the second day since there was zero wind. We waited two hours or so and the regatta was called off.
Overall, I was very impressed with the Buckeye Regatta and was really pleased that I had the opportunity to go. A short road trip and relaxing weekend was just what I needed to end my week.
-Sharon Lo, SESP 2012
NUST Representatives: Brett Herda, Brit Hvide, Sharon Lo, Justin McMath
Arrival Time: 2:00 AM Central
Upon arriving at Justin McMath’s friendly abode, the parental units were already sleeping and we were instead instantly greeted by the comfort that was suburbia. The next morning Justin’s mother had already prepared a lovely breakfast that was healthy and quite delicious. It was at breakfast that I was then informed that today was not a 420 sailing day—no, no—it was FJ sailing day. Coming into college with no sailing experience, I was a worried. My skipper reassuringly told me that he had never sailed an FJ either so surely we would dominate in the races.
Surprisingly, Justin was right. Although we did not dominate, the other Northwestern boat (Brit and Brett) did extremely well and I realized sailing an FJ really was no different than a 420. I could not have asked for a more beautiful day or setting to learn a little bit more about a sport that was very new in my life. I felt like I was cultivating an everlasting friendship.
It was pretty apparent that the sailors had gotten a bit of sun that day. Everyone was nice and flushed…except me of course. In any cause, the first day of sailing was in very light wind and fairly warm weather. The regatta was run very well and we were able to get 4 full rotations in. We didn’t have as much luck on the second day since there was zero wind. We waited two hours or so and the regatta was called off.
Overall, I was very impressed with the Buckeye Regatta and was really pleased that I had the opportunity to go. A short road trip and relaxing weekend was just what I needed to end my week.
-Sharon Lo, SESP 2012
Wet Your Willie - Northwestern University - April 10-11
On the weekend of April 10th and 11th, NUST held its annual Wet Your Willie Regatta. Twelve other MCSA schools participated in the quite anticipated regatta adding to a starting line of 19 berths, including 3 from Northwestern. The weather was fairly cooperative—with almost summer-like temperatures, the grills were pulled out and a barbeque awaited sailors off the water. Chicago, however, did not let its nickname (the Windy City) down and winds picked up to 27 knots in the early afternoon. By the time A’s went out for their second set, the strong winds and gusts forced racing to be called off for the remainder of the day.
Although partly cloudy on Sunday, NUST-ers filled the lawn playing bags and helping the regatta run smoothly. While not as warm as Saturday, the winds were calmer at 8 to 10 knots and sailing fortunately continued. The A division completed four windward-leeward races and the B division finished 6 races. NUST sailors certainly took the home advantage. In the A division, Northwestern 2 placed first, with Northwestern 3 in second and Northwestern 1 in seventh, respectively. In the B division, Northwestern 3 earned third place, Northwestern 1 had eighth, and Northwestern 3 ninth. Overall, Northwestern 3 took first and Northwestern 2 took fourth place.
-Katherine Nickele, WCAS 2012
Although partly cloudy on Sunday, NUST-ers filled the lawn playing bags and helping the regatta run smoothly. While not as warm as Saturday, the winds were calmer at 8 to 10 knots and sailing fortunately continued. The A division completed four windward-leeward races and the B division finished 6 races. NUST sailors certainly took the home advantage. In the A division, Northwestern 2 placed first, with Northwestern 3 in second and Northwestern 1 in seventh, respectively. In the B division, Northwestern 3 earned third place, Northwestern 1 had eighth, and Northwestern 3 ninth. Overall, Northwestern 3 took first and Northwestern 2 took fourth place.
-Katherine Nickele, WCAS 2012
Ted Ferrarone TR - Roger Williams University - April 3-4
The weekend after our delightful trip to Miami for spring break, NUST sent Andrew Wien, Bryan Stenson, Geoff Pedrick, Nick Campbell, Lauren Radomski, and myself to Rhode Island.
We went to test out our new team-racing skills on the East Coast at the Ted Ferrarone regatta. The teams came mostly from the Northeast with a couple from the South as well. Most had already been sailing for a month while we had just had finished our second week of practice. Their time spent on the water together practicing certainly showed.
I learned more from this regatta than I did from any regatta before. The teams that knew which plays to go for and how to protect their leads won their races.
We stayed with Geoff’s parents in Newport and they treated us to wonderful food, lodgings, and a historical tour of Newport. We even got to see the Puma boat from the Volvo Ocean Race in 2008.
The most amazing part of this trip for me was seeing a culture of the sea that I had never been a part of before. Newport runs on the sea. Without the ocean running around the city, Newport would be just another old, New England town. The sea breeds industry and manufacturing, and gives food. Most importantly to me the ocean provides a hobby or a sport.
The oceans provide a way to travel across the world. There’s something seductive about the sea and large bodies of water that sweeps me into a 420 every day and to continue racing around the country whether we win or lose.
- Noah Aldonas, Medill 2012
We went to test out our new team-racing skills on the East Coast at the Ted Ferrarone regatta. The teams came mostly from the Northeast with a couple from the South as well. Most had already been sailing for a month while we had just had finished our second week of practice. Their time spent on the water together practicing certainly showed.
I learned more from this regatta than I did from any regatta before. The teams that knew which plays to go for and how to protect their leads won their races.
We stayed with Geoff’s parents in Newport and they treated us to wonderful food, lodgings, and a historical tour of Newport. We even got to see the Puma boat from the Volvo Ocean Race in 2008.
The most amazing part of this trip for me was seeing a culture of the sea that I had never been a part of before. Newport runs on the sea. Without the ocean running around the city, Newport would be just another old, New England town. The sea breeds industry and manufacturing, and gives food. Most importantly to me the ocean provides a hobby or a sport.
The oceans provide a way to travel across the world. There’s something seductive about the sea and large bodies of water that sweeps me into a 420 every day and to continue racing around the country whether we win or lose.
- Noah Aldonas, Medill 2012
Jeremy McIntyre TR - Stanford University - March 6-7
McIntyered (of Cold Chicago Weather)
The weekend of March 6th, Michael Cornew, Tod Reynolds, Geoff Pedrick, Kim Wieczner, Nina Lincoff and myself, Mallory Usen, set off for the McIntyre Team Race at Stanford. After a cozy 4-hour flight, California sunshine, picturesque San Francisco bridges, and the charming Lincoff family warmly welcomed us. Well-fed and rested, we were eager to get into boats after a four-month cold spell in Chicago that had frozen over Lake Michigan and prevented all sailing practice. The breeze filled in late in the day, confirming that even California weather was more relaxed about sailing. Exhausted from sailing, we ate dinner with the other teams, quickly ventured to Yogurtland in Berkeley, and settled in for the night. The next day, the breeze filled in quickly in the morning and we won the majority of our races.
Though a bit rusty in our general boat handling and limited in FJ experience, we were well versed in the team racing handbook and had 7 wins out of 12 races over the course of the weekend. There was even a family face-off with Geoff’s older brother, Ben, who sails for Stanford’s varsity team. Stanford’s boathouse was phenomenal and their boats were all in pristine condition. The benefits of being a varsity team were tangible. After a delightful weekend at Stanford filled with family, sailing, and In-And-Out burgers, we retuned to Chicago excited for Spring Break sailing in Miami and the upcoming Spring season.
-Mallory Usen, SoC 2011
The weekend of March 6th, Michael Cornew, Tod Reynolds, Geoff Pedrick, Kim Wieczner, Nina Lincoff and myself, Mallory Usen, set off for the McIntyre Team Race at Stanford. After a cozy 4-hour flight, California sunshine, picturesque San Francisco bridges, and the charming Lincoff family warmly welcomed us. Well-fed and rested, we were eager to get into boats after a four-month cold spell in Chicago that had frozen over Lake Michigan and prevented all sailing practice. The breeze filled in late in the day, confirming that even California weather was more relaxed about sailing. Exhausted from sailing, we ate dinner with the other teams, quickly ventured to Yogurtland in Berkeley, and settled in for the night. The next day, the breeze filled in quickly in the morning and we won the majority of our races.
Though a bit rusty in our general boat handling and limited in FJ experience, we were well versed in the team racing handbook and had 7 wins out of 12 races over the course of the weekend. There was even a family face-off with Geoff’s older brother, Ben, who sails for Stanford’s varsity team. Stanford’s boathouse was phenomenal and their boats were all in pristine condition. The benefits of being a varsity team were tangible. After a delightful weekend at Stanford filled with family, sailing, and In-And-Out burgers, we retuned to Chicago excited for Spring Break sailing in Miami and the upcoming Spring season.
-Mallory Usen, SoC 2011
Eckerd Intersectional - Eckerd College - March 6-7
The ice on lake Michigan was finally melting, and the four of us had not been in a boat in 4 months. While we were still experiencing freezing temperatures in Chicago, schools in Florida had been practicing for the past six weeks. So to get an early start on the spring season, Andrew Wien, Spencer Powell, Noah Aldonas, and Steve Blackman hopped on a plane and flew to St. Petersburg, Florida for the Eckerd Intersectional at the alma mater of our coach Arthur Blodgett. On Saturday the breeze slowly built from 5 knots in the morning all the way to fifteen in the afternoon. The wind was very shifty and halfway through the afternoon they had to restart the race after a 120 degree shift. On Sunday, the wind was much more consistent but not as strong, blowing 8-10 knots all day. While Northwestern was a little rusty from the winter, we showed steady improvement throughout the regatta. Arthur was able to watch all of the races on the water, and we got instant feedback after every race. We finished 8th out of 11 teams, but the regatta was a great way to start our season earlier than the rest of the teams in the Midwest.
- Andrew Wien, McCormick 2010
- Andrew Wien, McCormick 2010
Charleston Women's - College of Charleston - March 6-7
On March 5th, Sarah Hughes, Frankie Ferrero, Maija Mikkila and I shed our drysuits and road-tripped to sunny South Carolina for a Women’s Intersectional Regatta at the College of Charleston. We had fantastic weather: about 60 degrees with a steady breeze. Coach Arthur frequently sailed at this site when he was at Eckerd, and he was able to give us some excellent advice about the tricky current in Charleston’s channel.
We sailed some great races and steadily improved throughout the regatta, however the competition was very tough. Some of the best women’s teams were there – Georgetown, Yale, Navy, Eckerd, Old Dominion and St. Mary’s, to name a few. It was really exciting to have the opportunity to compete against these teams. By the end of the regatta, Frankie and Maija were finishing in the middle of their B fleet. Although the overall results were less ideal, this competitive intersectional regatta prepared us for spring break training in Miami and a spring season full of competitive women’s sailing.
- Olivia Green, WCAS 2011
We sailed some great races and steadily improved throughout the regatta, however the competition was very tough. Some of the best women’s teams were there – Georgetown, Yale, Navy, Eckerd, Old Dominion and St. Mary’s, to name a few. It was really exciting to have the opportunity to compete against these teams. By the end of the regatta, Frankie and Maija were finishing in the middle of their B fleet. Although the overall results were less ideal, this competitive intersectional regatta prepared us for spring break training in Miami and a spring season full of competitive women’s sailing.
- Olivia Green, WCAS 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)