This past weekend's SAISA Match Racing Conference Championships qualifier was "one of the largest and deepest fleets compiled to qualify for match race nationals out of SAISA," according to host and PRO Kevin Jewett. In a fiercely competitive event, Eckerd College and Jacksonville University teams survived the first round robin with only one loss. As the day progressed, this week's SAISA Sailors of the Week, the Eckerd College Tritons match race squad secured key wins down the stretch and bested charges from both College of Charleston and Jacksonville University to win their first match race qualifier since 2015. The Tritons came into the event well-prepared having trained for weeks in advance of the match competition and making it a team priority.
Returning from a fourth-place finish in the 2018 qualifier, Eckerd's Connor Ratcliff, Cam Douglas, and Evan Langford were joined by Charleston native Caroline Puckette to take top spot on the podium this year. Triton's head coach Greer Wattson credits the hard work preparing for the regatta and factoring in local knowledge on current as the difference makers this year. "The starts kinda aligned for us," said Wattson.
The Eckerd Tritons and the Jacksonville University Dolphins both qualify to represent SAISA in Marblehead, Massachusetts later this fall for the ICSA Match Racing Championships at Corinthian Yacht Club on November 1-3, 2019. Congrats to both squad and this week's SAISA Sailors of the Week.
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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 co-ed skipper, co-ed 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