When Saturday conditions in New England forced a the Duplin Team Race off the water on Saturday, it left the already-traveling USF Bulls women's squad with an open Saturday. It didn't matter to the USF ladies who just came to Massachusetts to sail fast, so with quick work and some cross conference correspondence, the Bulls found an open berth at the Central Series Two regatta hosted by Mass Maritime in chilly Onset Bay. Starting the regatta with a bullet and never looking back, USF's Katie Bornarth and Rachel Yannelli earned this week's SAISA Women's Sailors of the Week honors, and helped their team earn the regatta win out of territory.
Meanwhile the squads sailing at the final regular season conference regatta South Points #5 regatta at St. Petersburg, Florida where conditions were far more comfortable and competition was fierce. Sailing in combined fleet, the Jacksonville University squad of Telmo Basterra and Mia Porter showed their strength in variable and shifty conditions building an early overall lead, challenged mostly by the Fins' A-division entry. Basterra and Porter combined for 4 first place wins on the day and otherwise consistent podium finishes leading to the Jacksonville University regatta win, securing final regular season standing for the Fins, while earning SAISA Co-Ed Sailors of the Week honors for week 8.
Week 8 also signals the end of the regular conference schedule with the top 6 teams from each division earning an invite to the SAISA Spring Co-Ed Conference Championships, the qualifier for ICSA Nationals. Congratulations to Jacksonville University and College of Charleston for winning SAISA South and SAISA North divisions respectively, as well as Clemson University, NC State University, UNC-Wilmington, University of South Carolina, Georgia Tech, University of South Florida, Eckerd College, University of Florida, University of Miami, and Florida State University all qualify and will compete in Wilmington, NC on April 6-7th.
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