Tom Curtis Memorial Regatta @ Georgetown:

  This previous weekend, competing on its home course, the GW Sailing Team stunned the Mid-Atlantic conference and qualified for the War Memorial regatta, the regional championship event. This is a feat that GW had not accomplished in decades, and has become much harder for club teams to do in recent years. The number of varsity programs has increased in the 45-team Mid-Atlantic region, but luckily for GW, spots are awarded not according to who spends the most on coaching or equipment, or recruits the hardest, but simply according to speed and skill.

    GW got out to a fast start in light and shifty conditions on Saturday. Juniors Meredith Carroll and Anne Laterra distinguished themselves in B Division with two firsts and a host of low-single-digit finishes. Challenged to raise their game to match that performance, junior Will Ricketson and sophomore Hilly Walrod established themselves as a constant presence amongst the A-division leaders. Lying in an incredible 5th overall after day one, GW nervously but excitedly set its sights on day two (But not before celebrating Hilly’s birthday on Saturday night!).

    Sunday dawned chilly and windy, and everyone knew it was the moment of truth. The fleet was wondering if GW’s Saturday performance had been a fluke, and the vastly different conditions on Sunday were certainly going to test that theory. However, GW doggedly held its ground. Varsity powers Old Dominion and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy managed to squeak by GW in the final standings, but the Colonials successfully held off Maryland, UVA, and varsity teams Hampton and CNU to claim a remarkable 7th place overall. In doing so, GW qualified not only for MAISA Club Championships, but also for the War Memorial Trophy, the hotly contested regatta that is the highlight of Fall racing in the mid-atlantic region.

    This weekend was a milestone for our team, and a vindication of two years of hard work. 24 months ago, we resolved to rebuild the GW Sailing team from scratch, practice hard every day, and forge ourselves into a competitive force. After this weekend’s performance, it is safe to say that GW Sailing has officially arrived.

UPDATE: The other teams scheduled to attend the War Memorial regatta at St. Mary's on Oct 31/Nov 1 are:

Hobart/WmSmith

NY Maritime

Fordham

Kings Point

Cornell

Colgate

Washington College

U/Penn

Navy

Ocean County

Princeton

Loyola

St. Mary's

Georgetown

Virginia

Old Dominion

American

George Washington

The Tom Curtis Regatta, Qualifying Event for the War Memorial: Racing Summary, October 3-4

Scores can also be found at techscore.mit.edu

        A division = 13 Races

        B division = 13 Races

                            A    B  TOT

 1. Georgetown             35   38   73

 2. St. Mary's             39   36   75

 3. American               58   53  111

 4. Navy                   70   80  150

 5. Old Dominion           77   76  153

 6. Kings Point            74  108  182

 7. George Washington      98   87  185

 8. Virginia              124   86  210

 9. Maryland               88  130  218

10. Hampton               127   97  224

11. Christopher Newport   151  120  271

12. William and Mary      174  152  326

13. Princeton             158  172  330

14. St. John's            170  173  343

15. Salisbury             171  183  354

16. Virginia Tech         174  196  370

17. Drexel                196  202  398

7th-

George Washington   

A  13   9   6   4  11   5   7   9   6   3   8  11   6    Total: 98

B   6   2   1   7   1  10   7  10  12   8   4   8  11   Total: 87

    19  30  37  48  60  75  89 108 126 137 149 168 185 Total: 185