By Coach Coughlin

Columbia Sailing attended the Jack Boehringer ’52 Memorial Regatta at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY on Cayuga Lake.

Team Captain Elizabeth Keeney (BC ’19) crewed for Lilly Loosbrock (BC ‘21) in the A division. With little practice for the opening event of the regatta the A team competed in difficult light air conditions Saturday and Sunday mornings. Saturday afternoon the wind picked up to 15 knots providing opportunities to plan. Returning Senior Antonia Leggett (CC ‘19) crewed in the B division with Isa de la Torre (CC ‘20); Saturday had Isa skippering and Sunday’s light air provided Antonia the opportunity to skipper in very light and shifty winds.

Coaching from the shore line provided opportunities to examine the competitors and provide A and B division teams insight to compete on the favored side of the course, tactics to follow, and boat speed observations relative to other competitors. Both teams made strong comebacks from difficult starts, as well as downwind gains using their skills to maneuver in on packs of boats arriving at the leeward mark.

The team finished 10th out of 18 teams. Their consistent finish positions are good to see, as consistency awards teams favorable results or top finishes in events. Considering that winning teams typically earn an overall average 5th in all the races, we only have to move up a few consistent average places to move up in the finish scores.

In the coming weekends, support us at the Alumni Regatta on September 16th at our home venue in City Island and at the Luce Regatta at St. Mary’s on September 22, 23!

Link to the Columbia Scores at Cornell: https://scores.collegesailing.org/f18/jack-boehringer-52/full-scores/