HWS sailing earned a pair of third-place finishes at two fall conference championship regattas over the weekend of October 31 through November 1. The Hobart and William Smith squad competed at the War Memorial, the Middle Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association fall coed dinghy championship in Annapolis, Maryland, while William Smith sailors raced at the MAISA Fall Women’s on Seneca Lake.
Seventeen teams gathered at the Naval Academy for the War Memorial. Saturday brought a breeze out of the northwest that shifted to a northeasterly direction. Two races in each division were completed before a short break, after which one more race per division was sailed before racing was called for the day. Sunday offered beautiful conditions, but light wind limited the fleet to just two more races per division.
HWS finished third overall with 44 points, while Georgetown claimed victory with 31 points. Junior James Kopack and sophomore Jamie McGuffe were third in B Division with 14 points. Across the five races contested, they placed in the top three four times and recorded a fifth once, including a win in the opening race of the regatta. Seniors JJ Klempen and Stella Kim placed seventh in A Division, crossing the line in the top 10 in all five races, highlighted by a second-place finish in race five.
At the MAISA Fall Women’s on Seneca Lake, Saturday greeted sailors with a light southeast wind. One race was completed before the breeze died. After a break, a shifty northwest wind filled in and nine more races were sailed. Sunday delivered steady winds out of the south, allowing an additional 10 races to be completed.
William Smith finished third with 104 points. Junior Deana Fedulova and senior Ella Donaldson competed in A Division, finishing third with 46 points. They placed in the top 10 in all 10 races and recorded three runner-up finishes. Juniors Sabrina Starck and Olivia Wilkins were fifth in B Division with 58 points, winning the third race and finishing in the top 10 in every contest. Georgetown won the regatta with 53 points.
