2024 Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta

The 2024 Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta (IOR), co-hosted by Storm Trysail Club and Larchmont Yacht Club, welcomed the college community on October 12-13 for keelboat racing in Larchmont, NY. The event saw participation from 313 sailors representing 41 schools, spanning 19 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces. With six divisions competing, each completed six or seven races on Long Island Sound.

Day one delivered sunny skies and a steady breeze of 8-12 knots, and all classes completed four windward-leeward races over a 5-nautical mile course. The second day started off with overcast skies, but the clouds soon parted, allowing for an early start and two additional races.

The Paul Hoffman Trophy, awarded to the overall winner with the highest winning percentage, went to Webb Institute’s modified J/105 Sleeper, skippered by Rayne Duff. Duff credited their victory to “consistently good starts, a team that works great together, and a fun-focused attitude were the most important things this weekend.” Webb Institute, known for its strong offshore program, delivered a stellar performance throughout the event, not losing a single race.

The IOR is a monumental undertaking, relying on the donation of boats and time from owners and club members who offer college sailors an opportunity to experience offshore racing. While some schools, like Webb, have dedicated offshore teams, many of the participating schools focus only on dinghy sailing. Teams traveled from as far as Texas A&M in Galveston, the University of Wisconsin, and Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia.

Yet, despite the logistics, the event continues to grow as organizers welcomed new schools this year: Clemson University, Middlebury College, Olin College of Engineering, Rutgers University, Texas A&M, the University of New Hampshire, and the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

The Puff Trophy, awarded to the team with the second-highest winning percentage, went to the College of Charleston Cougars for their performance in the J/105 Kestrel, owned by CofC alum Chuck McCarthy.

“Larchmont IOR is an event that we look forward to every year because of the many opportunities it provides,” said Charleston skipper Luke Tougas. “This event for us really came down to how bad we wanted it.”

In the Swan 42 division, the University of Michigan’s Zammermoos, skippered by River Severia, took first place in their class. “These are very large boats with lots of power, so as a team, we needed to really talk to one another about what we were doing and when,” shared Severia. “With this mindset, we really honed in on the boat’s speed and tactics all weekend.”

Severia also praised the IOR as a standout regatta, saying, “It’s truly a unique opportunity as collegiate sailors to be out on the racecourse sailing against one another on keelboats rather than the usual dinghy racing.”

Event information – Race details – Photos

Source: Rising Tide