The GW regatta team awoke Saturday morning ready for some of the worst weather to strike the DC area in October in over 200 years. With temperatures in the 30s, 100% chance of precipitation, and wind gusts up to 30 knots, the team was ready for War, the War Memorial that is! The War Memorial is the MAISA fall conference championships, where the top eighteen teams in the division battle it out on the water. The War Memorial was hosted by the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, one of college sailings most beautiful venues. However, Saturday morning was not a pretty site at the Naval Academy.

            Upon arrival at the Naval Academy, sailors were informed that due to the front passing through racing would be postponed until 1pm, when the storm could be properly evaluated. The regatta team took this opportunity to spend some time exploring Annapolis. The team dropped by the US Sailing Conference, and got the opportunity to meet some sailing celebrities including Gary Jobson, Stan Honey and Dawn Riley! This visit included a lecture on off-shore navigation techniques, reminding the regatta team of the depth of the sailing world and all it has to offer!

            At 1pm, the regatta team was ready to get out into the rain and on the water. With a northerly breeze, the windward-leeward course was set off Triton Point in the mouth of the Severn River. In A-Division, skipper Drew Beckmann (’15) and crew Skye Kussmann (’13) set out in the FJ for their first race. The conditions proved difficult as the cold rain and snow hitting the warm water created a creepy fog (a perfect fit for Halloween weekend), extremely limiting visibility on the course. B-Division skipper Ian Conners (’13) and crew Kaitlin Denney (’14) soon made it out to the course in their 420 for their first set. As the heavy rain turned into a heavy wintery mix, the wind shifted Northwest during the first set. This allowed the race committee to re-set the course further up the river, right off the Robert Crown Center. The wind ranged from 10-20 knots throughout the day, tiring out crews and skippers alike. After the first set, Hussain Patel (’13) jumped into B-Division to fill in for light-air crew Denney (’14). Patel (’13) is a natural skipper and this was his first experience crewing. He did a great job adjusting, and led the B-Division team to the highlight of their weekend with a 6th place finish in race 5B. In A-Division, Sonya Ropek (’14) provided her heavy-air expertise starting in race 4A, helping secure one of the top finishes of the weekend. By the end of the afternoon, crews Kussmann (’13) and Denney (’14) had warmed up enough to get back on the water. Each division sailed 8 races before racing concluded at 6pm. This provided enough time for the team to get dinner in Annapolis then head back to DC for a team viewing of the Disney classic Aladdin before a full night sleep.

           

            Sunday morning delivered much needed sunshine. With 10 knots of breeze out of the NW, a windward-leeward course was set in the Severn River for consistent racing throughout the day. In A-Division, Beckmann (’15) and Kussmann (’13) settled into the 420, starting off the day with three mid-fleet finishes. As the breeze lightened, twin Erin McCormack (’14) switched in to get some time on the water and get adjusted to the 420. B-Division began with Conners (’13) and Denney (’14), then switched to twin, Sarah McCormack (’14) as the morning went on. A total of 10 additional races per division were completed on Sunday to finish the regatta. After a long weekend of challenging competition and conditions, GW qualified for the Atlantic Coast Tournament.

            A special thanks on Saturday to GW’s Athletic Director Patrick Nero for coming out in the rough conditions to see what the sport of sailing is really like! He braved the seas on one of the Naval Academy safety boats, getting as wet and cold as the sailors on the water. Another thanks to volunteer coach Jay Sterne who came out to provide expertise and advice to the sailors. It was also wonderful to have the backing of the team (both current members and alumni) to ensure the sailors were well-fed and warm, so thank you to Will Ricketson (’11), Mike Shea (’11), Meagan Murphy (’15), and Sloan Dickey (’13). It makes all the difference having the support of the team out there in full force!

-          Skye Kussmann (’13)

Full Results Posted Here:

http://scores.collegesailing.info/f11/war-memorial/full-scores