Hoyas Win ICSA Match Race Championships

Oyster Bay, NY (November 16, 2014) – On Friday, the Round Robin racing was underway at the 2014 ICSA Match Race Championships, hosted by Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, Oakcliff Sailing, under the beautiful sun on a chilly day. Ten schools were participating for the crown. In Flight 1, Boston College had a beautiful hoist leading Wisconsin who was carrying a penalty at the second windward mark during their match. In their match, it was a game of inches between Yale and South Florida, with nice move by Yale to keep the lead.

Back in it with Flight 2, match 1 saw Wisconsin with a healthy lead over Texas A&M and Charleston with 3 boat lead over South Florida with a penalty. Match 3 saw Yale staying in touch with Georgetown who led after the first beat and went on to win that match. An aggressive match was had between Charleston and South Florida on 2nd beat; Charleston got left behind as South Florida luffed inside at the mark, South Florida was still with a penalty at the time, Charleston went on to beat South Florida in their match.

In Flight 3, St. Mary’s edged out Wisconsin at the windward mark, winning that match and Stanford had comfortable command over Boston College. With Flight 4 underway, Yale led Boston College by mere feet at the top of the first beat, and won the match. St. Mary’s managed to shake Charleston out of a dial up in Flight 6 but an error later on while circling earns them a penalty; St. Mary’s went on to win their match over Charleston. After Day 1, South Florida was in the lead with a winning percentage of 78%.

Day 2 action at the ICSA Match Race Championships began with Flight 1 of repechage. The day would end with the top two teams advancing to the Quarter finals. The University of South Florida team, leading after Day 1, watched the repechage with interest from deck of SCYC. The view was perfect, with the weather mark only 100 yards off the dock.

Lots of cheers came from the Charleston and Stanford teams as they each advanced from the repechage to the quarter finals. South Florida beat Stanford, Georgetown beat Charleston, St Mary’s beat Wisconsin, Boston College beat Yale, Washington beat Texas A&M.

Going in to Day 3, eliminated teams were Charleston, Yale, Wisconsin, Stanford, University of Washington, and Texas AM Galveston. In the Petit finals are Boston College and St Marys, the finals were Georgetown versus University of South Florida.

The Petit finals were run with Boston College racing against St. Mary’s College. The Eagles beat St Mary’s in the first race of the Petit Final, and were all tied up after the next race, with one race to go to determine third place in the championship. St Mary’s got the win, taking third, and Boston College finishes fourth overall.

Battling for first place were Georgetown versus University of South Florida on Sunday in a best of five race series, first team to get to 3 points takes the trophy. Weather on Oyster Bay was cloudy with a high near 48, with winds from the southwest at 7 – 10 knots. Georgetown won the first race of the match. South Florida took the second race, was leading at the start of race 3, led through the gate, and went on to win the third race. Georgetown won race 4, tying up the scores, and forced a fifth race.

After the start of race 5, South Florida was ahead on the first cross and led at the first mark. Georgetown was able to pass USF on leg 2. Georgetown won the last race handily but there was a red flag hearing happening on the water as the boats finished. The umpires were hearing protest that appeared to be concerning equipment on the Georgetown boat that wasn’t provided to all teams. In the end, the protest was denied and Georgetown was crowned the winner.

Final Standings –
1. Georgetown
2. University of South Florida
3. St Mary’s
4. Boston College
5. Charleston
6. Yale
7. Wisconsin
8. Stanford
9. University of Washington
10. Texas AM Galveston