McIntyre Team Race Champs at SUNY Maritime Was Fun, Yet Intense

Sailors head to the course on a C420 for the first round of team racing on Monday morning.

Team race enthusiasts from eight JSA LIS clubs came out to SUNY Maritime College in the Bronx last week for the 2012 Malcolm McIntyre Team Racing Championships.

The teams of 6-8 sailors competed in dozens of races over three days, from July 9 to 11.  The event was technically a clinegatta (part-clinic, part-regatta), although almost all of the time was spent racing. The competitors enjoyed the format, mainly because of the fun yet intense mood of the event.

“It was very competitive, especially in the top 4,” said David Bigelow, an instructor from Norwalk Yacht Club, following the conclusion of the last race.  “I really believe it enhances the sailors’ ability to fleet race as well.”

“I’m here because it’s a fun experience and I want to improve my team racing skills,” Kelly Wiegold, a competitor in the regatta from Riverside Yacht Club who also team races for her high school, explained in an interview before the clinic on the first day.

Sailors return to shore for lunch after completing 14 races Monday morning.

Many other sailors also commented positively on the quality of the coaches who taught the clinic and ran the races.  Returning from last year was Michael Collins, Head Dinghy Coach at Kings Point.  Collins was assisted by John Singsen, also from Kings Point, and Mac Mace, who is a coach at Larchmont Yacht Club and a member of the College of Charleston sailing team that won the 2012 college team racing national championships.

One thing the participants seemed to enjoy particularly was that the coaches provided feedback at the end of each race, mentioning tactics the sailors executed well during the race and citing instances in the race where sailors showed room for improvement.  Competitors also liked the chalk talks given by the coaches on the first day of the clinic.

“I really liked that we were instructed so well about how to team race,” Liam Monarchio, a returning participant in the event from Sea Cliff Yacht Club, said after the awards ceremony.  Monarchio enjoys team racing because he feels it is a nice break from fleet racing, and takes pleasure in being able to work “with my teammates and getting to use lots of cool tactics.”

Members of the winning team from Noroton Yacht Club express their joy Wednesday afternoon after winning the regatta.

“My favorite thing about this event is that it is the 1st college-type of regatta that junior sailors get to experience,” Head Coach Collins commented, recalling how he enjoys returning to coach at the regatta every year.  “It’s a really cool part of the sport”

Noroton Yacht Club took home 1st place this year, while Riverside placed 2nd, and Larchmont received 3rd.  Full results are available on the JSA website www.JsaLis.org on the regatta documents page.

Photos from this event and many others are on our Facebook page (“JSA of LIS”).  If you don’t already “like” us, do so right now to ensure you don’t miss any updates, photos, or videos in the future!  The photos from this event are in an album here, so click the link and check them out!  Also check out the video coverage of the event here!