Five College Nationals set for Spring 2021

After losing the Spring 2020 season due to COVID-19, the 2021 Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) has organized five ICSA national championship regattas for May 1 through June 8, 2021. College Sailing has cautiously resumed small, local events, primarily along the Eastern Seaboard with the ultimate goal of returning to full-sized regattas to finish the season with newly crowned champions.

Though some of the specific details have yet to be completely ironed out, the Naval Academy will provide their fleet with assistance from surrounding yacht clubs to run the three double-handed regattas – Coed, Womens’, and Team Racing – that staple the spring season. The assisting yacht clubs are Annapolis Yacht Club, Severn Sailing Association, Eastport Yacht Club, and Annapolis Sailing School.

Meanwhile, the Men’s and Women’s Singlehanded National Championships, traditionally held at the end of the Fall Season, will take place May 1-2 at Sail Newport in Newport, RI. The Singlehanded Championships will be an open, bring your own boat format as the typical qualification system is abandoned for this year and its unusual circumstances. The men’s and women’s championship will be held simultaneously.

“With the guidance of the ICSA Medical Advisory Panel, we have a very safe and workable protocol that enables universities to get behind us and support this competition,” said ICSA President and Old Dominion University Head Coach Mitch Brindley.

Each of the three double-handed regattas will congregate only on the water as the fleet will launch from the plethora of yacht clubs that make up Annapolis Harbor.

The first of the three events will be the Women’s National Championship on May 19-20 without the typical Semi-Final format. The Team Race National Championship will be on June 2-3 followed by the Coed National Championship on June 7-8.

“We are really excited to be hosting the 2021 College Sailing Nationals in Annapolis,” said Navy Head Coach Ian Burman. “After missing out on last year’s championships and most of the season this year, we are thrilled to be able to provide competition for all of these student athletes. I’m really grateful to the Naval Academy and to our local sailing clubs in Annapolis for supporting these events.”

Brown University will look to defend their long standing women’s championship, claimed in 2019 in Newport, RI. Yale University and the College of Charleston are the defending Coed Team Racing and Fleet Racing Champions, respectively.

“It has been great to see sailing teams finally getting on the water for competition,” continued Brindley. “I don’t remember the last time I was this excited to take my team to a regatta and coach. We realize how fortunate we are to have that opportunity when so many other teams are unable to compete this year.

“Getting back on the collegiate racecourse has not been a smooth process and is much more ad hoc as we seek competition. But it is great to see the athletes lining up on the starting line in their pinnies representing their school against others.”

Source: ICSA