Oct. 19, 2011

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- After a lot of waiting for wind so far this fall, the weather was very different this weekend as the Navy intercollegiate sailing team competed in five extremely windy regattas on the East Coast.

At the Navy Fall Intersectional, 18 teams came to compete in four divisions, all on the water at once. Race management and sailors had their hands full on Saturday as the wind held in the upper 20s and shifted through 30 degrees all afternoon. Sunday was a very pleasant day with warm weather, sunny skies and 10-15 knot winds. Navy ended up 11th overall, with Jason Carminati, Saverio Maldari and Julie Digiovanni placing 12th in A, Taylor Vann, Michael Grove, Caroline Lockett, and Jocelynn Knudsen 10th in B, Phil Youngberg 15th in C and Marissa Lihan eighth in D.

At another Intersectional competition, a small team of Mids made the long trip north to Dartmouth College for the Captain Hurst Bowl. They found gusty winds and shifty conditions on Lake Mascoma as well, but came away with a strong eighth-place finish in the 22-team event. Devin Laviano and Chelsea Smith finished 14th in A division while Markus Edegran and Kristin Rovito were fourth in B.

At the North #2 at N.Y. Maritime, it was so windy Saturday that racing was called off after four races due to boats capsizing and drifting under the Throggs Neck Bridge. Conditions were more manageable on Sunday and Navy remained strong throughout, finishing second overall in the 16-team event. George Prieto and Sarah Blake finished fourth in A Division while Charlie Peck and Glenn McKenna were second in B.

At the Central #2 at Washington College, Navy finished sixth overall out of 12, even though the team finished fifth in both divisions. Connor Timmins and Connor Hendi sailed A while Emma Ferris and Erica Leinmiller were in B.

Finally, it was so windy all weekend in New Haven, Conn., that no races were sailed and the regatta was canceled at the Yale Womens Intersectional.

# GO NAVY #