Two William Smith sailors will compete for the Faye Bennet Trophy this weekend at the Middle Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association Women’s Singlehanded Championship in Annapolis, Maryland. The regatta, scheduled for September 19-20, marks a key early-season test for the Herons program.
Sophomores Moira Padilla Velasquez and Keelyn Brink will represent the Herons at the MAISA Championship. Padilla Velasquez is no stranger to the event, having sailed in Annapolis last year where she finished in a five-way tie for fifth place with 72 points. She crossed the line in the top 10 in all but one race during that regatta. Brink, meanwhile, will be making her first appearance at a conference championship.
The Herons have a proud history at this event. Arielle deLisser ’14 remains the lone Heron to capture the Faye Bennet Trophy, winning the conference crown twice in 2010 and 2013. More recently, Heather Kerns ’24 earned a podium finish in 2021, placing third.
Eighteen sailors from nine schools are scheduled to compete for the trophy in Annapolis this weekend. Beyond conference bragging rights, the stakes are significant as the first-place finisher will also receive the league’s automatic bid to the ICSA Women’s Singlehanded Championship.
In addition to the action in Annapolis, HWS will also have sailors competing in Ithaca this weekend at a pair of regattas, the Boehringer Invitational and the Susan Rogers Invitational. It promises to be a busy and exciting weekend for the Hobart and William Smith Colleges sailing program as the 2026-27 season gains momentum.
