Farewell tour for College sailing coach

Gaining entry to the College Sailing Nationals is hard, particularly when your school is 2500 miles from the closest competition… and is on an island. Despite its remoteness, the University of Hawaii will be on the start line May 15 for the 2026 Women’s Fleet Race National Championship.

The Rainbow Wahine sailing team got an at-large bid after finishing third in the Pacific Coast Conference Championship, and their trip to Nationals in in St. Petersburg, FL will also be the farewell tour for head coach Andy Johnson.

After 36 years at the helm of the program, Johnson is set to retire at the end of the season.

“You know, I cherish all the memories and all the people that really helped make this thing go, you know, it’s a lot of alums, 36 years.” Said Johnson. Senior Amanda Turner added, “Yeah, it’s gonna be great and it’s given us that extra motivation to do extra well this year.”

Johnson has coached four Olympians in his time and will be looking to win Hawaii’s third National Championship.

2025-26 Season

2025 Fall National Championships:
November 8-9 – Women’s and Open Singlehanded Nationals – Old Dominion Univ / Norfolk, VA
November 15-16 – Match Race Nationals – St Petersburg Yacht Club / St Petersburg, FL

2026 Spring National Championships:
April 23-25 – Open Team Race Nationals – Tulane Univ / New Orleans, LA
April 26-27 – Women’s Team Race Nationals – Tulane Univ / New Orleans, LA
May 15-18 – Women’s Dinghy Nationals – Univ of South Florida / St. Petersburg, FL
May 19-22 – Open Dinghy Nationals – Univ of South Florida / St. Petersburg, FL