Week 4: September 29-30
In the last weekend of the first half of the season, the women's team headed to the Naval Academy for the first round of the Women's Showcase. The Huskies also attended regattas at Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and at home at MIT.
​
Women's Showcase 2 @ Navy
The Women's Showcase (a showdown between the top women's teams up and down the east coast), kicked off this weekend at Navy and St. Mary's College. The Huskies flew down to Navy for semifinal 2 to compete in conditions very unlike those here on the Charles. The venue had light wind, but strong current and heavy motor boat traffic creating big wakes. The team of Carolyn Corbet ('21), Kelley Phippen ('22), Victoria Pajak ('22), and Coleen Ross ('20) kept their boat speed up by staying away from the chop and current and communicated well throughout the weekend. The Huskies found themselves in 15th after day 1, but just 7 points behind Old Dominion in 10th. They came out flying on Sunday, and gained 4 teams back over just 5 races to finish 11th out of 17, just 2 points out of the top 10. Although they failed to secure the top 9 finish required to move on to the Showcase Finals, they will look to have a strong finish at the Alt Finals back home in Boston in 2 weeks.
​
Moody Trophy @ Rhode Island
The Huskies contested 2 A Level regattas over the same weekend this week, and the co-ed Moody Trophy saw 4 out of 5 sailors make their A Level debuts. Skippers Santiago Hirschmann ('23), Ben Palmer ('22), and Addie Schoen ('23), and crews Romain Astié ('21) and Bridget Maguire ('22) fought hard against a very competitive fleet, and did well on starts and upwind legs. The key for good results was to stay in phase with the oscillating wind throughout the day and sail good angles on the downwinds, balancing speed and direction. The team moved slowly up the rankings throughout the weekend after a tough start, as they adjusted to the stronger competition, eventually finishing 14th out of 18.
​
Smith Trophy @ MIT
Back home at MIT, Kyle Riggs ('21), Becker Ewing ('21), Caleb Niles ('22), and Julia Zaleski ('22) contested the last college regatta still sailed in Tech Dingies. Just like at Rhode Island, the team started slowly, falling victim to light conditions and drastic shifts, but working their way up to 12th after day one. On Sunday the wind picked up to 5 knots, and the Huskies were able to get their boat speed up more effectively, bringing the team to a 9th out of 20 finish overall. Riggs and Ewing sailed Techs on Saturday and Niles and Zaleski were in Fireflies before the fleets switched on Sunday.
​
Loder @ New Hampshire
At the Huskies' only C Level regatta of the season, skippers Will Crane ('21) and Sumner Strumph ('22), and crews Jack Denker ('23) and Alex Chamberlin ('23) raced to a strong 4th place finish out of 12. A particularly variable but strong wind on Saturday required competitors to stay in tune with the shifts and puffs to do well. Strong boat speed on the downwinds and reaches (when the races went sideways, literally) provided the Huskies a multitude of strong finishes. No races were managed on Sunday as the wind never filled in.
