War! What Is It Good For?

The GW Sailing team showed up eager and ready to compete in the Tom Curtis Regatta at Georgetown this weekend. Back on their home turf, the young sailors felt confident they could demonstrate their skills and dominate on the Potomac. Unfortunately, the wind disappeared faster than Freshmen Meagan Murphy could get her hand stuck in the gas cap of the van and the morning was spent in a delay. For the next nine or so hours, Freshmen Drew Beckmann shared his feelings and Junior Skye Kussmann made fun of all the others teammates attempting to do homework. Junior Ian Conners and Sophomore Kaitlin Denney were sent out in A-Division to try to get some racing in around 4:30 but spent the majority of their time floating at sea playing twenty questions and making friends from other schools. By the time Kaitlin realized she would rather swim in the Potomac then hear another yes or no question, a racecourse was finally being set. The wind died yet again, however, and the race was cancelled after its third leg.

The next day, the sailing team arrived on the scene with full stomachs and smiling faces only to look out over the lagoon and see nothing but glass. The water was flatter than Justin Bieber singing live. The flags hung motionless and the trees moved only when squirrels climbed them. A-Division was able to squeeze in two races, but the sailors in B were not as lucky. They sailed out only to have their first race abandoned on the third leg. When all was thought to be lost, the team suddenly found a reason to rejoice: they had qualified for the War Memorial!

So even though the wind went AWOL all weekend, the Colonial sailors are ready for War. Their stellar performance at St. Mary’s last weekend (Thanks to Hussain Patel ’13 and Sonya Ropek ’14 in A Division and Drew Beckmann ’15 and Skye Kussmann  ’13 in B Division) helped them secured a spot in the regatta, which will fittingly be held at the Naval Academy. Thanks to everyone who supported us this weekend, particularly Meagan Murphy ‘15, Sarah and Erin McCormick ‘14 and volunteer Coach Jay Sterne. The wind delays were much more exciting because of them! The team hopes the wind comes back to the Potomac so they can continue practicing and preparing this week.

-Kaitlin Denney ’14