Yale maintains grip at College Team Race Nationals

Newport, RI (May 30, 2015) – Racing continued today in the LaserPerformance Team Race National Championship on Narragansett Bay, co-hosted by Brown University, Salve Regina University and New York Yacht Club. The top sixteen collegiate team racing teams in the nation are vying for the national title and the Walter C. Wood Trophy.

The sailors were greeted by fog this morning and light winds. The fog came in and out all day making for interesting conditions with wind pressure up and down. The winds started around 8-12 knots and when the sea breeze came in this afternoon it picked up to 12-15 knots with higher gusts. Temperatures stayed in the low 70s.

The first round with all 16 teams was completed today. There were 36 races left in the round and places 9-16 was determined as well as the top eight teams, who advanced to the next round of racing. Sailors competed in both FJs and Z420s on a digital N course in the first round, but the top eight round will be sailed in only FJs. The scores from each round carry over to the next.

A sail off between Tufts University and the U.S. Naval Academy took place after the first round was finished to break a tie and determine who would take eighth place and advance to the top eight round of racing. Tufts took the win and advanced, which was a result of some great racing for them today after not being in a position to advance yesterday when they finished the day in 11th place.

First Round Robin Results (wins and losses)
1. Yale University, 15-0
2. Stanford University, 13-2
3. Boston College, 12-3*
4. Roger Williams University, 12-3**
5. College of Charleston, 11-4
6. St. Mary’s College of Maryland, 10-5*
7. Georgetown University, 10-5**
8. Tufts University, 7-8*
————————-
9. U.S. Naval Academy, 7-8**
10. University of South Florida, 6-9*
11. Fordham University, 6-9**
12. University of Wisconsin, 5-10
13. University of Michigan, 3-12
14. University of California at Santa Barbara, 2-13
15. Oregon State University, 1-14
16. Texas A&M University at Galveston, 0-15
* Number of races won when tied teams met (1)
** Number of races won when tied teams met (0)

Top eight racing got underway around 1:45 p.m and wrapped up before 5 p.m. Fifteen races were completed in the second round today with 13 more to go. The conditions changed in the afternoon with a stronger sea breeze and a change in the tide, which also affected the racers with chop and a different dynamic on the starting line. In the morning racing the current was pushing boats over the starting line, but in the afternoon it was causing them to be further off of the line.

Yale continues to hold onto their lead with only one loss that they suffered in the top eight round against Tufts University.

“It was a tight race,” says Bill Healy, assistant coach for Yale. “One of our skippers fell overboard at the start, so we were playing catch up the whole time,” he says. “They [Tufts] did a good job with a 1,2 combination and maintained it for the whole race,” says Healy.

Healy says they also had good races with St. Mary’s College of Maryland and Georgetown University.

“We are still feeling comfortable and focused for tomorrow,” Healy says, “We will keep digging.”

Sailing for Yale is: Ian Barrows ’17, Graham Landy ’15, Malcolm Lamphere ’18, Chandler Gregoire ’17, Charlotte Belling ’16, Meredith Megarry ’17, Katherine Gaumond ’15, Clara Robertson ’17, Natalya Doris ’17 and Christopher Champa ’18.

Finishing in second place today was Boston College who only lost one race to Georgetown.

In third place was Stanford University who suffered three losses in the second round.

“The races we lost were because of starting issues,” says John Vandemoer, head coach for Stanford. “All of the teams are really good – there is no bottom team – so it’s important to get off the line well and be in the race from the start,” says Vandemoer.

Sailing for Stanford is: Antoine Screve ’16, Hans Henken ’15, Kieran Chung ’15, John Cannistraro ’17, Nicolette Obel ’17 and Haley Kirk ’15.

The final day of the Team Race Nationals is scheduled to begin tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. Once the top eight is completed racing will begin in Z420s in the final four round. No race can start after 5 p.m. An awards ceremony for the competitors will be held after racing at New York Yacht Club.

Top Eight Results (wins and losses)
1. Yale University, 17-1
2. Boston College, 15-4
3. Stanford University, 14-5
4. College of Charleston, 13-5
5. Roger Williams University, 13-6
6. St. Mary’s College of Maryland, 12-7*
7. Georgetown University, 12-7**
8. Tufts University, 9-10
* Number of races won when tied teams met (2)
** Number of races won when tied teams met (0)

Standings – Nationals details

Source: ICSA media

Background: The Intercollegiate Sailing Association’s three national championships, Sperry Women’s National Semi-Final and Final Championship, LaserPerformance Team Race National Championship, and the Gill Coed Dinghy National Semi-Final and Final Championship will be held May 25-June 4, with schools racing Z420s and Club FJs on the waters of Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay in Newport, RI. The events are hosted by Brown University, Salve Regina University and the New York Yacht Club.