by: Lucas Masiello ’24

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Rhode Island Sailing Team competed in a number of late-season interconference regattas, winning the MacMillan Cup for the first time in 52 years and competing in the Women’s Atlantic Coast Championship and Open Atlantic Coast Trophy.

Hosted by the U.S. Naval Academy, the McMillan Cup is the qualifier for the Kennedy Cup- the national championship for intercollegiate offshore sailing. Light air made it impossible to start races on Saturday, but 13-18 kts. from the Northeast on Sunday provided fantastic racing conditions for the fleet of Navy 44’s.

Four races were sailed; with the Rhode Island Sailing Team finishing with a scoresheet of 1, 2, 2, 1 in a six-boat fleet. Competition included renowned offshore sailing teams such as the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the College of Charleston.

The Rhode Island Sailing Team fought valiantly at the Kennedy Cup, held Nov. 5-6 at the U.S. Naval Academy. Light breeze in the Northern Chesapeake made for no racing Saturday and spotty conditions Sunday, with light gusts and large wind shifts making boathandling in the heavy Navy 44’s incredibly difficult. The Rhode Island Sailing Team placed 5/10.

The Rhode Island Women’s Sailing Team competed in the Atlantic Coast Championship Finals, hosted Oct. 15-16 at King’s Point. Finishing 15/18, the fleet at the championship will likely be identical to that of the Women’s Fleet Race National Championship, which will be held at the same venue this May.

The Rhode Island Sailing Team also competed in the Open Atlantic Coast Trophy, held at Connecticut College Oct. 22-23. Strong competition and tricky conditions proved for fantastic racing. The Rams finished 9/18 in a national-level fleet.