Claire DesBrisay opened the 2010 Fall College sailing season for the University of Ottawa Gee Gees at the New York Maritime Fall Open. A total of 18 college teams sailed in the regatta, including Columbia, Fordham, US Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point), Maryland, Rochester, Georgetown, Cornell, Navy, NY Maritime and Hobart and William. U of O and rival Queen’s were the only Canadian Universities represented.
College racing is sailed in Club 420s, with no spinnaker and no trapeze. A college team is comprised of 4 sailors, with one crew sailing in an A fleet and one in a B fleet. The A fleet sailors sail off against each other for two races and then the B fleet sailors jump in the boats and the B fleet sails two races. Races tend to be short and numerous…lots of starts, lots of races and the final standings combine the results of the team in both fleets for an overall regatta result (no drop races).
The adventure for the U of O team began with an 11 hour drive to the Bronx, with the team arriving at 3:30 am on Saturday morning…with racing set to begin in mere hours. Undaunted, the U of O racing team was set to go as the racing started and, at the end of the regatta, the team emerged with a top 10 finish – 10th in a fleet of 18, with pride intact and 3 placings better than Queens! The winning team hailed from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, a small liberal arts college located in the heart of the Fingerlakes in Upstate, NY.
For final results, see the following link. http://regatta.mit.edu/f10/ny-maritime-fall-open/
