Coach's Corner

Today the Mitchell College sailing team ventured up to Boston to compete at the famed MIT Sailing Center. The Smith Trophy is the Super Bowl for second tier programs and we went in with high hopes and confidence.

However, the wind was not cooperative, and between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. we were only able to get off six races in total. One needs to get three races off per division for it to be considered an official regatta, and the B division was only able to get off two races to the A division's four. As a result, the event was a NON-EVENT and does not get scored.

This hurts our small program as we do not have the numbers to do many big regattas that happen throughout the New England sailing scene. We participate in a few big regattas and need every one to count.

While the event did not count, Mitchell Sailing did the college proud. With 23 teams sailing Tech dinghys on the Charles River in a light breeze, we looked around to see some of the best schools sending their top sailors to this regatta. Harvard, BC, Roger Williams, Brown, University of Vermont, Tufts, MIT, Coast Guard, BU, Salve Regina, Bowdoin, Providence College, Mass Maritime, and Williams were some of the schools present at the event.

Of the total 23 teams, Mitchell finished 16th, but just six points out 14th place. Brendan Griffiths and Alex Bollella were sailing A Division and opened the first race of the regatta with a 14th place finish. Alex Hering and Chelsea Abbenante opened their B Division race with a 14th place finish as well. As the wind died, our team (once again) struggled as the wind diminished. I can not wait for a regatta with winds over 5mph!

Considering we never have sailed on the Charles, never have sailed a Tech dinghy before, and against tough competition, Mitchell sailed very well and showed it can compete with the "big names" of college sailing. I am so proud of their "unofficial" 16th place finish. That is a far improvement from where we were a year ago.

Congratulations to the Mitchell Sailing team on another solid performance on and off the water.

Coach Furgueson