Eckerd sailing delivered a strong third-place finish at the SAISA Fall Open Fleet Race Championship, closing out the fall 2026 season with a hard-fought 121-point total across two days of intense racing. The Tritons opened competition Saturday afternoon following the conclusion of the women’s championship, battling challenging conditions with winds ranging from 12-18 knots and gusts reaching 20-25 knots.
PJ Rodrigues and Peyton Seidle represented Eckerd in the A Division, competing in 420s, while Jordan Vieira and Avery Guck sailed in FJs in the B Division. Despite the strong winds, the race committee completed eight races in each division on the opening day. Eckerd closed Saturday in second place with 74 points, with the A Division standing fourth at 43 points and the B Division holding third with 30 points.
Conditions intensified on Sunday as sustained winds climbed to 17 knots with gusts reaching a formidable 29-31 knots. Will Alvarado joined Vieira as crew in the B Division to help navigate the heavy air. Entering the final day with a three-point advantage over third place, the Tritons battled to maintain their position through six additional races.
Racing concluded at 1:15 p.m., with Eckerd ultimately finishing third overall with 121 points. The A Division placed fourth with 72 points, while the B Division secured an impressive second place with 49 points.
The championship marked the conclusion of Eckerd’s fall 2026 season. The Tritons return to competition in February for the spring season, looking to build on the momentum gained from their competitive showing at the SAISA championship.
