This past weekend, the Red displayed outstanding performances at the Open Atlantic Coast Championship Round 1A. Thanks to several standout showings from the sailors, the team was able to earn a fifth place finish overall and secure a spot at the Women's ACC Finals later this month, one of the most competitive women's fall regattas in the nation. Additionally, the Red had a breakthrough debut performance at the Oyster Bowl, which was the first time the program participated in this regatta.
On Saturday, the Red went face-to-face against an 18-team field, including Ivy rival Yale, and dominated, finishing above both Yale and Hobart & William Smith College. Due to unfavorable wind conditions, no sailing was done on Sunday, so all races were held on the day before. Sailing out of Yale’s docks, The Red finished with a total of 104 points over 14 races across both A and B divisions. In a competitive race, the Red clinched a fifth place victory, securing a spot in the ACC finals later this month.
Skippered by A Division senior Sophia Devling with crew freshman Paulina Freyre, the Women's Open ACC Round 1A started with a strong race win. To finish the day of racing off, senior Sophia Mulvania sailed the final races boldly, placing eighth in the division. In parallel, the B Divisions junior skipper Winborne Majette with freshman crew Grace Penque had several successes, including a win and two top-three finishes, overall placing fifth.
For the past few years, the sailing program had qualified for the ACC Finals, and the team has once again given itself an opportunity to continue the legacy of success. Familiar faces such as Ivy rivals Yale, as well as Dartmouth, Stanford, and Hobart & William Smith Colleges will be present at the regatta.
Debuting its performance at the Oyster Bowl on St. Mary’s River in Maryland, the Red made an incredible impression of skill. Across a competitive 15-team fleet, the Red fielded three boats and placed them above schools like Old Dominion University and the U.S. Naval Academy. Skippered by junior Pilar Cundey with senior crew Kate Constan, the top-finishing group, Big Red 1, finished at 9th place with a total of 70 points. Similarly, Big Red 3, skippered by freshman Adrianna D’Agati and crew Emil Damji, placed 11th with a total of 79 points. Close behind was Big Red 2, led by Wynne Williams and Marcus Greco.
The Red will next compete at the Women’s ACC Finals hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a two-day regatta which will be starting at 10 a.m. on Oct. 11. Members of the squad will also be competing in the Nevins Trophy regatta at Merchant Marine Academy and the David Lee Arnoff Trophy at Hobart & William Smith that same weekend.
Nora Kenzi is a Sun Contributor and can be reached at nmk55@cornell.edu.
