The Academy hosts, wins Penobscot Bay Open

Over the weekend of September 12-13, the Academy hosted the Penobscot Bay Open and Harman Cup, drawing more than 70 sailors from 13 colleges across the region.

> Read more and watch the Fox/ABC coverage of the event

Under clear skies with a southerly breeze, the team took a commanding lead after a lovely first day of sailing in the Penobscot Bay Open. Finishing atop the fleet after a rainy second day, too, the team won the Penobscot Bay Open by a comfortable margin.

> Penobscot Bay Open Race Results

“Winning the Pen Bay Open is a milestone accomplishment for the team,” said head sailing coach Patric DiLalla, “but we have our eyes on the next thing now: qualifying for the Atlantic Coast Championship for the first time in program history. If we qualify for that, we will be looking to qualify for Fleet Race Nationals in the spring. At the same time in keelboats, we are vying for berths at the Match Race Nationals in San Francisco, and the Offshore Nationals in Annapolis.”

Day one of the Harman Cup on keelboats saw a lovely sea breeze on East Penobscot Bay. The flat water for the first race gradually built into a medium chop as the ebbing tide gained momentum. The breeze topped out at around 15 knots. Four races took place on a gorgeous day of racing; the Academy and Bowdoin finished the day tied for the overall lead.

Sunday brought about 10 knots out of the south, four more races, and plenty of rain. Bowdoin College took the win, with Tufts University and Boston University also qualifying for NEISA Match Race Champs, while the Academy finished in fourth.

> Harmon Cup Results

“What has gotten us where we are is a focus on process over results,” said DiLalla. “We intend to continue with our commitment to the right team vibe, and paying attention to all the little details that make us faster. What we are teaching is an approach that can be used for a lifetime of enjoyment and success in the sport.”

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