ANNAPOLIS, Md. â€" The spring college sailing team racing season kicked off this past weekend and the Navy intercollegiate sailing team jumped in head first, competing in three different events.

The first major event of the season was the Bob Bavier Team Race in Charleston, S.C. This 10-team field featured many of the teams expected to be the top teams in the country this season. The Midshipmen were dealt a major blow before the competition even began when a neck injury prevented senior crew Megan Hough from traveling with the team, leaving the team one short to compete. Fortunately, some extra Georgetown sailors were in Charleston in advance of spring break and we were able to invoke the ICSA's emergency injury substitution rule and compete with our new friends, Jack Welty and Albert Krauss. The fleet lived up to it's billing, with tight racing throughout the regatta. Navy had its ups and downs, winding up seventh overall. Michael Popp, Patrick Snow and Gary Prieto served as Navy's skippers while Aaron Hull, Molly Hanson and our Georgetown friends crewed.

A little closer to home, another Navy team competed in the George Washington Team Race in Washington, D.C. While this event featured only six teams and light winds, the competition was very tough. Navy's team of Michael Madigan, Jimmy Madigan, Peter Hogan, Molly Robertson, Michelle Katz and Brittany Webb-Martin started slow, but improved throughout the event. The light winds cut the regatta short, however and we didn't quite have the time to improve from Navy's fifth place finish.

In the third event of the weekend, the Tom Noble Team Race in Chestertown, Md., a strong team of Mids was ready to compete. LCDR Rachael Gosnell traveled with the team and Vanderstar Chair Jon Wright joined in to coach. Unfortunately, the wind never filled in on the Chester River long enough to complete a round for an official event. Hannah Hughes, Addison Hackstaff, Will Hawley, Hamrick Morgan, Tyler Fleig, Mary Morocco and Ana Mier will have to wait for the next opportunity to show their skills.

The Navy intercollegiate sailing program is also proud of Manuel Inserni-Pagan and Spencer Nora recently completing the EOD screener.