Yale's club sailing team earns national ranking

Newly appointed Yale sailing coach Zack Leonard, PC '89, feels that despite his team's relative youth, their excitement makes up for what they lack in experience. "We have a very young, very ambitious and very happy team. They love sailing, they love each other and they like practicing. Those are our greatest strengths," he said. Despite a voluntary time commitment and practice schedule, the team's talented, competitive sailors have been dedicating extensive hours and precious weekends, and so far their dedication seems to be paying off.

The team placed third at the Hood Trophy at Tufts from Sat., Sept. 23 to Sun., Sept. 24, where it defeated tough challengers like Dartmouth and Boston College. Because of its finish, Yale has appeared in the national rankings (No. 17) for the first time in five years. In individual competition, Stu McNay, JE '04, finished fourth out of 10 boats in a single-handed event on Sat., Sept. 30, to qualify for the New England competition. He heads off to the University of Vermont this weekend to attempt to qualify for Nationals.

According to the team's captain, Isabelle Kinsolving, CC '02, Yale sailors can expect to see even more success in the near future. "We have a definite chance at qualifying for the Atlantic Coast Championship with both our varsity and women's teams," she said. Other upcoming sailing events include the Ivy League Championships (The Mosbacher-Knapp Trophy) this weekend at Princeton, where Yale hopes to achieve its third consecutive title. With a strong finish at the prestigious Yale Women's Inter-sectional in two weeks, the women's team may increase its position among the top 15 teams in the nation.

Commodore Betsy Cleveland, DC '01, who is responsible for organizing the team, attributes the team's success to its hard work. "To sail at the varsity club level is a big commitment...I think that sailing even requires more hours of participation than some of the varsity sports at Yale," she said.

The team competes in the New England Intercollegiate Sailing Association, practicing four days a week at the Yale Corinthian Yacht Club in nearby Branford, Conn. The club is so popular that at most practices, the team operates 10 to 15 boats. When the season kicks into full gear at the end of August, team members race in regattas nearly every weekend. They usually sign up for four to five regattas each weekend, sending two boats with four members to the various competitions.

Though races vary by skill level, ranging from beginner to varsity events, the four sailors involved represent Yale in two boats. A women's varsity level team also exists, and members can even compete in single-handed events such as Lasers (150-190 lbs) and Radials (women only, 110-150 lbs). Infused with excitement, the club sailing team now turns its eyes to an Ivy title.

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