A brief introduction to college sailing

For the un-initiated, college sailing is divided into seven different geographical districts (conferences). Two of those districts, NEISA (New England) and MAISA (Mid-Atlantic), tend to be the most dominant, with three times the number of top-twenty teams than the other 5 districts combined.

College sailing takes place in many different formats. Regattas are either inter-sectional where schools from more than one district compete, or in-conference where all of the entered schools are from the same district. The two most common regatta types are co-ed or women's, which are sailed in two divisions of A and B. Each school enters a different crew in each division. In addition, some regattas add in a division C, often single-handed. Other regattas are team racing, sloop racing and match racing. Because of the number, strength, and size of the teams in the NEISA and MAISA districts, a regatta in those districts, especially an intersectional regatta, tends to have a much higher level of competition than an in-conference regatta in one of the other five districts. In the reports that follow the participant's results and overall team results will appear as (# / #).

LYC Junior sailors compete in several college regattas

14 college age sailors with ties to LYC participated in 6 different collegiate regattas last weekend.

Nevins Trophy – MAISA Intersectional -- U.S. Merchant Marine Academy – Co-ed

Colin Smith, skippering the A division for Brown, won that ultra competitive division. Brown finished 3rd for the regatta. Also competing from LYC were Sean Ross skippering A for USF (13th/18th) along with his crew, former YSG Gregory Schreiber. Former YSG Phillip Alley skippered A for Cornell (18th/19th). Christina Lewis crewed in the B division for St. Mary's (12th/4th). In a very tough C division sailed in Lasers, Andrew Fox, racing for Wisconsin finished 6th.

The Hatch Brown -- NEISA Intersectional – MIT – Co-ed

Annie Haeger, skippered A for Boston College (4th/5th). Summer coach Nicole Popp crewed A for Miami (12th/15th). Will Haeger skippered A for Tufts (13th/8th).

Mrs. Hurst Bowl – NEISA Intersectional -- Dartmouth -- Women's

Marissa Lihan traveled to Dartmouth to skipper A for Navy (18th/16th). She was joined by Dominique Wright who skippered B for USF (16th/14th).

Baldwin Wood -- SEISA In-Conference – Tulane – Co-ed

Alec Payne sailed her first ever 420 regatta last weekend. She skippered the second Division A boat for Tulane finishing 5th.

Boston Harbor Invitational -- NEISA In-conference – Boston College – Co-ed

Former YSG Megan Place crewed B for Roger Williams (6th/4th).

SAISA SP-2 – SAISA In-conference – USF – Co-ed

Former YSG Kyle Pond crewed B for USF (3rd/2nd).

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Kent Fox in Scuttlebutt on college sailing

As a long-time resident of South Florida I am often asked why my son chose to attend the University of Wisconsin. They are absolutely dumbfounded when I respond, "because of sailing." The problem with most collegiate sailing programs in the Midwest, including UW-Madison, is that they fail to communicate the positive aspects of what their university has to offer to student athletes who sail.

The University of Chicago, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Wisconsin all boast top-50 rankings by U.S. News and World Report. Many Midwestern universities offer a college-town experience like few others and a culture of genuine kindness that is often difficult to find in other parts of the country. Wisconsin even boasts an on-campus sailing venue and a sailing center literally inside the school's student union.

However, very little of this is used to promote the sailing programs at these schools. My son arrived at the idea of sailing in Madison primarily on his own. He knew that an elite sailor had chosen Wisconsin the year before, and his college counselor advised him of the merits of four years in Madison both academically and socially. UW has been fortunate that so many of the talented sailors who decided to remain in the Midwest have decided to attend Wisconsin. Their current ranking and recent performances prove they can compete with the schools in the East.

The idea that assistance should come from the ICSA to help teams in certain districts is ridiculous. And the concept of sailing scholarships, although appealing to a father of a sailor in high school, would accomplish the exact opposite of the claim "leveling the playing field." It would in fact increase the gap between the haves and have-nots. Very few, if any, MCSA, SEISA, and NWICSA universities would be in a position to offer sailing scholarships. The only schools that would consider such aid would be the larger varsity programs in the East and possibly Stanford.

The bottom line is that more individuals who want to see the collegiate sailing programs in the Midwest and other non-East coast districts succeed need to help promote them and the extraordinary college experience these institutions have to offer.

David Hein 3rd at USODA Midwest Champs

David Hein, a Youth Special Guest (YSG) of the LYC Opti program, finished third at last weekend's USODA Midwest Championships. Event chair, Steve Sisson, reports that they could have not asked for better racing conditions for the 2011 USODA Midwest Championship at Macatawa Bay Yacht Club over this past weekend. Nine races total completed in breeze blowing between 8 - 15 throughout the event. (From the USODA web site)