GW Team Race

A Strong NW/W breeze the last few days resulted in another blowout tide for the 2020 GW & Georgetown Team Race. After surveying our options it was determined safest to run races in the Lagoon exclusively in FJs instead of braving the 20-25kt gusts and 35 degree temperature out in the Potomac River. Despite a slightly slower rotation we were lucky to get in some very exciting racing from this W-NW wind direction. Racing proved to be very challenging with a few capsizes, and many lead changes throughout the day thanks to the wild and unpredictable shifts.

We managed to complete one full round robin in both the Georgetown and GW Team Races, and to flight 3 and 2 respectively in the second round robin. Georgetown and Hobart both lead their events with undefeated records.

The team racing was aggressive, but sailors were kept in check by our fantastic group of umpires who all managed to survive the long and frigid day. Thank you to all of our umpires: Kai Friesecke, Ale Fayer, Derek Poon-Tip, Matt Homa, Sean Golden, Colin Kennedy and Rob Overton.

Also a huge thank you to Mike Callahan and the Georgetown Sailing Team for the support, as well as the George Washington Sailing Team for all their efforts on a great day of racing.

Tomorrow the race committee plans to finish the second round robin, and is still hopeful to complete a third round robin if conditions permit. Report time is 9am.

Day Two of the 2020 GW & Georgetown Team Race brought us much warmer weather and lighter breeze, affording us the opportunity to bring the regattas further out into the Potomac River to Haines Point. Despite the more pleasant sailing conditions, the mostly Western breeze still made the racing extremely challenging with wind direction ranging from NW to SW, and wind strength mostly 4-8kts throughout the day.

We managed to complete all three round robins thanks to our team of Georgetown and GW Sailing Team support squads.

Thanks also to all of our umpires: Kai Friesecke, Ale Fayer, Derek Poon-Tip, Matt Homa, Sean Golden, Colin Kennedy and Rob Overton. Days spent as umpires are long and hard. Their contributions make college sailing better, and it is greatly appreciated.

Congratulations to Hobart and William Smith College for winning the 2020 GW Team Race with a 14-1 record, and Georgetown University for winning the 2020 Georgetown Team Race with an undefeated 15-0 record.

Thank you and congratulations to all teams who competed!