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.
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About the SAISA Sailors of the Week
Each week of the season, we’ll recognize outstanding performances by sailors across SAISA, as well as by SAISA sailors in competition out of conference. The selection process includes a nomination period each week ending on Sunday. A committee of SAISA coaches from both divisions selects sailors from the nominations received and will announce the SAISA Sailors of the Week early each week following the close of the nomination period. If you’d like to submit a nomination, email the sailor’s name, school, position, and what events or circumstances they demonstrated outstanding performance to SAISAsotw@gmail.com. Nominations close on Sunday at midnight EST and selections will be based on performances for the preceding week and that weekend. Selection categories may include open (co-ed) skipper, open crew, women’s skipper, women’s crew. Pairings or individual sailors may be nominated or selected.
For more information, visit the SAISA website at www.saisasailing.com/sotw