ICSA News

On Weekend 3 of the Fall 2023 Season, SAISA held Match Race Conference Championships hosted by the College of Charleston where the Cougars secured a hard-fought regatta win over eight conference teams. The Cougars will represent SAISA at the ICSA Match Race National Championships in November. Congratulations to Axel Stordahl (Sr., Gig Harbor, WA), Lucy Klempen (Sr., Kingshill, USVI), Garrett Grenauer (Jr., Buffalo, NY), and Lawson Levine (Sr., Chicago, IL) for earning this week's SAISA Open Sailors of the Week for week 3. 

*** Nelson and Allen are the Open Sailors of the Week ***

*** Nicolosi and Moeder are the Women's Sailors of the Week ***

On Weekend 2 of the Fall 2023 Season, SAISA held its conference Singlehanded Conference Championships in both women's and open divisions, this year hosted in Melbourne, Florida by Florida Tech. Jacksonville University's Emily Allen (Sr., St. Petersburg, FL) won the SAISA Women's Singlehanded Championship over a field of the conference's ten best women's Laser/ILCA sailors, earning SAISA Women's Sailor of the Week honors. In the Open division, the College of Charleston's Benjamin Dufour (So., Geneva, CH) won the SAISA Open Singlehanded Championship against 17 of the conference's best Laser/ILCA sailors and earned SAISA Open Sailor of the Week honors. Additionally, the USF Bulls team of Emmy DiGiacomo (Sr., Tampa, FL), Eden Nykamp (Jr., Holland, MI), Andreas Keswater (Sr., Torrance, CA), and Melissa Janes (So., Eustis, FL), traveled to the MCSA where they dominated a field of 17 teams over the course of the two day, 12-race Fall Fury Regatta event finishing every single race on the podium including seven bullets across the two divisions.  

*** Doble is the Women's Sailor of the Week ***

*** Reeser is the Open Sailor of the Week ***

*** Schofield and Pohl are the Open Sailors of the Week ***

*** Schmelz and Karlson are the Women's Sailors of the Week ***

The College of Charleston's Noah Zittrer (So., Clear Falls, TX) and Chloe Hudgins (Sr., Jensen Beach, FL) are the SAISA Open Sailors of the Week after placing first in A-Division at the SAISA Fall Top 9 Invite Regatta and helping the host Cougars earn the regatta win this past weekend. The pair earned podium finishes in five of the six races in a combined 18-boat fleet featuring the top 9 teams in SAISA including securing two first place "bullets." Also at the SAISA Top 9, the University of South Florida Bulls' sailors Eden Nykamp (Jr., Holland, MI) and Brilan Christopher (Sr., Miami, FL) earned recognition as the SAISA Women's Sailors of the Week for their performance finishing 5th overall in the event, but more importantly helping to qualify the USF squad for a return trip to the ICSA Open Atlantic Coast Championships later this season.

Following the conclusion of the 2023 College Sailing National Championships, the ICSA has announced the 2023 All-America Team, Open and Women’s Sailor of the Year, Mitch Brindley Crew of the Year, Sportsman of the Year, Inductees to the ICSA Hall of Fame and the winner of the Leonard Fowle Trophy.

Stanford University took a historic win at the 2023 Open National Championship out of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy after four days of racing on the Long Island Sound. The Open National Championship was the last of three high-caliber spring College Sailing National Championships that took place over a marathon 11 days back to back. The Cardinal won with a 13-point lead above Yale University, and Harvard University rounded out the podium in third place behind Harvard by six points.

“We’re super overwhelmed,” said Stanford A Division Skipper, Michelle Lahrkamp. “We are a predominantly female team, and we did a great job these last few days getting everything out of every day; we never gave up, we had our heads in the game the whole time. We really wanted it, and I am wearing my pink shirt for all the girls out there – you can win a National Championship!”

Yale won the Eastern Division and Georgetown won the Western Division in the Open National Semifinals out of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy after two days of semifinal racing. 32 of the best collegiate teams in the nation came into the championship on Tuesday and the top 18 will take to the water today for Finals and a chance at the 2023 national title. 

After three days of racing on Long Island Sound, the Harvard Crimson took first place in The Open Team Race National Championship out of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. The final day of the Championship delivered more challenging conditions with shifting breeze and large swells and winds starting out of the north from 10-15 knots.

“Winning feels amazing, especially coming in freshman year and having an amazing support system, coaches, and senior role models,” said Mitchell Callahan ‘26, skipper for Harvard University. “I think that really helped us peak at the right time. Our strategy was to take one race at a time, keep our heads down, and block out all the noise. We had to focus, do our jobs, and communicate.”