Yale Athletics

The Yale Sailing team came in third in the coed Atlantic Coast Championship this past weekend, placing behind Harvard University and Dartmouth College.

The sailors earned an invite to the ACC Championship by finishing among the top nine teams at a qualifying event on Oct. 8. Wind pressure throughout the qualifiers made each race unique, resulting in the Bulldogs being unable to maintain their lead but still earning a second-place result. 

“It was an awesome experience to be a part of the team as we qualified for the Atlantic Coast Championship,” Carmen Berg ’26 said. “Our feedback and observations during practice and post-review were a crucial part of our team’s preparation.”

Berg was a part of the dinghy sailors that competed at the Captain Hurst Bowl and the Savin Hill Invite at Dartmouth and Boston College, respectively, the weekend before the ACC Championship. At these events, they aimed to practice fleet racing for the more significant championships up ahead. 

At the Savin Hill Invite, the Bulldogs brought home the win, finishing nine points ahead of second-place winner, Boston College. Up at Dartmouth, the lack of wind prevented Division C from sailing, and the team ended up in third overall. 

“With light wind conditions we experienced at Dartmouth, getting the most power out of the boat was crucial for us,” Berg said. “It was important to focus on tacks and gybes to achieve this via synchronicity between the skipper and crew as well as powerful and well-timed movements to create speed in the boat.”

This same weekend, the coed team raced at the New England Match Race Qualifiers, where they ultimately ranked second overall, losing to Brown University in the finals. Now, whether or not they compete in the Match Race Nationals in San Diego, California will be decided at the Inter-collegiate Sailing Association Committee. 

Sophomore Nathan Sih ’25 believes that the team’s “productive” practices and “quality leadership” by their coaches and upperclassmen enabled them to qualify for the ACC. 

Sih helped the team qualify for the ACC at King’s Point by crewing for Jack Egan ’25. This meet was crucial as it allowed the team to qualify for the ACC and will be the venue for the Spring National Championship at the end of this academic year. He also aided the team at the Savin Hill Invite alongside Catherine Cheung ’24, Mateo Farina ’25 and Jessi Avila-Shah ’25. 

Coming up on the end of the fall season, Sih said that they “plan on continuing [their] hard work and improving [their] game every day on the water.”

The Bulldogs gave the ACC their all during the weekend of intense competition and varied weather conditions. Sailors Egan and Catherine Webb ’23 pulled Division A into first place, while Carmen Cowles ’25 and Ben Markert ’23 in Division B performed well in the 420 fleet. 

Changing wind conditions proved difficult as the Bulldogs trailed closely behind fierce competitor Harvard, but they ultimately ended up in third behind Dartmouth. 

In Boston at the Oberg trophy this weekend, the team came in ninth overall, sailing on the Charles River for the third time this season.

Head coach Zachary Leonard said he was “really happy” with the entire team’s progress this season. He told the News that the coed team is doing the same preparation they always do for the end of the season. 

“Our focus is on improving our skills and refining our partnerships,” he said. 

Yale coed sailing is set to end the Fall season this coming weekend at the Schell Trophy, Dave Perry Trophy and Nickerson Trophy.