NEISA Match Race Championships

A week after a big Northeaster caused the event to be postponed, Marblehead delivered picture perfect conditions for the NEISA Match Race Championships. A morning Northerly gradually freshened and clocked to the east, topping out at around 14 knots. The Round Robin and Quarterfinals were completed. A team of 6 umpires was lead by Rick Myers both days. The brand new Sonars, flawless race committee work, and optimal conditions made for world class match racing. There were many close matches with dramatic finishes, and every team appeared to have the speed and boat handling to potentially win each match. The close competition brought out the best in all of the teams, and the seedings for the Knockout rounds were an accurate reflection of the strength shown in the round robin, with Brown claiming the top seed, followed by Dartmouth and then Yale. In the middle of the table there was a three way tie between Coast Guard, Boston University, and Tufts. Coast Guard won the tie break to earn the 4th seed because of their round robin victory over Yale. Bowdoin and Maine Maritime each showed potential with Bowdoin winning a match over Coast Guard and Maine Maritime winning a match over Yale. In the quarter finals the higher seeds prevailed in all 4 match ups. Tufts pushed Yale to a third match; the other three were swept by the higher seed.

Full results here: https://www.matchracingresults.com/2026/new-england-championships/

Sunday morning the stage was set for another fantastic day of Match Racing. A steady 10-12 knot Southeasterly held throughout the day, and the final four teams put on a show of top level match racing. Yale swept Dartmouth in the first semifinal, relying on match racing acumen to subdue the Big Green. The second semifinal saw Coast Guard and Brown each take a win, sending the series to a third and deciding match. The potentially dramatic conclusion was spoiled when Coast Guard entered early and picked up a penalty. Brown grabbed the lead off the line, Coast Guard tried to escape and find leverage, but Brown covered with exceptional boat handling and speed, leaving Coast Guard no option but to quietly trail to the finish. The final between Yale and Brown was a three match slug fest between the two strongest teams in perfect conditions. The third and final match was a tense back and forth clash with several lead changes. Yale drew a penalty on Brown in the prestart and appeared to have gained the upper hand. But Brown quickly shifted tactics and aggressively attacked Yale to attempt to even the score. It worked. Yale fouled and both penalties were erased. Brown started close to leeward with Yale fast on their weather hip. Brown put their bow down and drag raced out from under Yale, delivering the first blow by forcing them to tack away. The two briefly split, and when they met again Brown easily crossed on port and reclaimed the starboard advantage. Yale went to lay, Brown short tacked the layline and lead around the weather mark by 2-3 lengths. Yale then positioned themselves perfectly to blanket their opponent, forcing Brown to do 2 extra gybes to clear their air. The boats split at the gate, and a super clean douse and rounding by Yale erased what was left of the Bears' lead. Brown sailed to the left and Yale to the right with a distinct feeling of suspense in the air. Both boats tacked. As they approached to cross, it was unclear who would have the upper hand. Brown's bow suddenly went down sharply and it appeared that Yale had regained the lead. But the Brown duck was so well executed and the boat was moving so fast that Yale could not gain control. They split again, and the writing was on the wall for the next cross: Brown would arrive on port lay with the Starboard advantage; they even had room to comfortably tack in front. That proved to be the decisive blow. Brown set the kite cleanly and escaped downwind to the finish. Congratulations to the Brown Bears on an impressive performance. The fastest boat won. Full scores here: https://www.matchracingresults.com/2026/new-england-championships/ Thank you to Rick Myers for leading his team of 6 umpires, and thank you to Joe Fava and his Corinthian Yacht Club Race Committee for putting on a truly fantastic event!