THROGGS NECK, N.Y. - The college sailing championship season began this weekend with the MAISA Fall Championship for the War Memorial Trophy. The top 18 teams in Navy's conference converged on SUNY Maritime College for a wild weekend of racing on the East River.

While this venue is always tricky with strong currents and very shifty winds, this year's championship was even more challenging than usual, due to the arrival of a strong cold front. Saturday's racing started out in a cold rain and winds that ranged from 8 to 15 knots. Navy had a hard time with the conditions at first and got off to a slow start.

As the day progressed, the wind increased and the team made some adjustments that paid immediate dividends. After a strong afternoon, Navy closed out the day sixth overall.

The rain cleared up overnight, and with it, the wind increased significantly. When the competitors arrived on Sunday morning, the wind was gusting into the mid 30s and racing was postponed all morning. By early afternoon, the breeze subsided just enough to get one B division set to close out the regatta.

Even though there were only two races, it was enough for Navy to move up one more position to fifth overall, qualifying the team for the Atlantic Coast Championship in two weeks and the Prosser and America Trophies in the Spring.

Mary Hall, Emma Ferris and Patrick Snow teamed up to finish sixth in A division while Michael Popp, Connor Hendi, Alex Asuncion and Phil Youngberg were fifth in B.

Navy also earned the fourth place ranking in coed scheduling for 2015.