Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Monday, May 11, 2015
Recap/Debrief: Aquinas Sails to 2nd at Nationals!
The St. Thomas Raiders scored their best Nationals finish to date, placing 2nd at the High School Fleet Race Championship for the Mallory Trophy this past weekend. The regatta was hosted by the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and contested by 20 of the top teams in the country - all of whom had to qualify through District Championships. Sailors got to experience racing in 2 prominent College Dinghies, the FJ and new Z420 - a lighter, sportier version of the traditional Club 420 that debuted in 2013. 18 Races were sailed in each fleet, with St. Thomas's Christopher Williford and Max Gillette taking home the A division title! Congratulations to the sailors who attended - Ali Toppa, Liza Toppa, Sophia Rieneke, Dae Kelly, John Monahan, Brian Buckley, Chirs and Max; as well as the entire Aquinas sailing team - Anna Wies, Calli Lewis, Mack Fox, Cameron Swain, Clyde Wright, Grant Dixon, Chase Sabadash, Connor Correll, and James Pulsford on a great season!
Recap:
Friday, after touristing around Annapolis, we had the opportunity for some on-site practice. Unfortunately, the wind was uncooperative. However, we did get some good practice with boathandeling: here's clips of the sailors honing their craft along the seawall. Obviously these tacks are not legal - there was no wind - but the techniques were deemed legal by the umpires when used in more wind, and are how one should practice college-prep boathandeling!!
Saturday Racing began in light airs on the Severn River. Despite poor starts, both Chris/Max and Ali/Liza were able to come back in several races by playing the shoreline lifts coming off the left river bank, as well as sailing to an edge to where there was less adverse current and clear air downwind. When the racing was moved out into Annapolis harbor, the shifts became less predictable, and the team struggled, dropping all the way down to 5th at the end of Saturday's races.
Sunday brought beautiful early morning fog, but better breeze, which freshened all day as we raced out in the harbor. Ali and John won 2 races, but the team remained inconsistent throughout the morning.
After lunch, with winds in the 12-15 kt range, Chris and Max really turned it on, posting 8 straight top 4 finishes (with no throw out races, consistency is the name of the game!) to take A Division. Sophia and Brian closed out the regatta in B division with consistent results of their own. The course dictated that you dig into a side - to get out of the cone of convergent current around the start line, and to benefit from either big left pressure, or right shoreline lifts. Chris/Max tended to favor the right on the first beat, while Sophia/John/Brian preferred the left, but both were able to round in the top 3 from their respective sides when they executed well. Downwind was all about staying on the headed jibe, while finding lanes down the middle that allowed you to sail the lest distance and stay wing-on-wing. Overall the teams effort sailing in the breeze was phenomenal, and we felt like we had the best boathandleing, and improved to have the best boat speed on the racecourse! After racing Sophia successfully defended herself in an educational protest (our 23 point cushion on 3rd meant we could loose and still be locked in to 2nd), as we wrapped up an exceptional Sunday effort. The season concludes with St. Thomas set to compete in the Baker Team Race Nationals held in Chicago in 2 weeks!
Friday, after touristing around Annapolis, we had the opportunity for some on-site practice. Unfortunately, the wind was uncooperative. However, we did get some good practice with boathandeling: here's clips of the sailors honing their craft along the seawall. Obviously these tacks are not legal - there was no wind - but the techniques were deemed legal by the umpires when used in more wind, and are how one should practice college-prep boathandeling!!
Dae and Chris Z420 Jybes:
Ali and Liza FJ Tacks:
Sophia and John Z420 Tacks:
Saturday Racing began in light airs on the Severn River. Despite poor starts, both Chris/Max and Ali/Liza were able to come back in several races by playing the shoreline lifts coming off the left river bank, as well as sailing to an edge to where there was less adverse current and clear air downwind. When the racing was moved out into Annapolis harbor, the shifts became less predictable, and the team struggled, dropping all the way down to 5th at the end of Saturday's races.
Sunday brought beautiful early morning fog, but better breeze, which freshened all day as we raced out in the harbor. Ali and John won 2 races, but the team remained inconsistent throughout the morning.
After lunch, with winds in the 12-15 kt range, Chris and Max really turned it on, posting 8 straight top 4 finishes (with no throw out races, consistency is the name of the game!) to take A Division. Sophia and Brian closed out the regatta in B division with consistent results of their own. The course dictated that you dig into a side - to get out of the cone of convergent current around the start line, and to benefit from either big left pressure, or right shoreline lifts. Chris/Max tended to favor the right on the first beat, while Sophia/John/Brian preferred the left, but both were able to round in the top 3 from their respective sides when they executed well. Downwind was all about staying on the headed jibe, while finding lanes down the middle that allowed you to sail the lest distance and stay wing-on-wing. Overall the teams effort sailing in the breeze was phenomenal, and we felt like we had the best boathandleing, and improved to have the best boat speed on the racecourse! After racing Sophia successfully defended herself in an educational protest (our 23 point cushion on 3rd meant we could loose and still be locked in to 2nd), as we wrapped up an exceptional Sunday effort. The season concludes with St. Thomas set to compete in the Baker Team Race Nationals held in Chicago in 2 weeks!
photos courtesy of Arthur Blodgett, Karin Gillette and Tracy Williford
PS. The Navy Says:
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