ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Navy's intercollegiate sailing team returned to action this weekend and won both the fleet race and team race portions of its home quad meet where St. Mary's, George Washington and Old Dominion rounded out the field.
 
During the fleet race on Saturday, the sailors encountered light winds from the east and southeast ranging from 2-5 knots. With the scoring being done in a combined division, 18 boats raced in the field making up nine teams with the Midshipmen fielding three teams during the first day of racing. From the start, Navy had the fastest boats in the fleet, but the light wind only allowed for the completion of four races on Saturday. Despite the few races, the Midshipmen looked to be a good shape heading into the MAISA South Fleet Race next weekend as they finished first, second and third in the field.
 
"Right off the bat, it became apparent that the work we have been putting in on boat handling, trim and weight places has been paying off," head coach Ian Burman said.
 
Of Navy's six individual boats in the fleet race, Navy took the top four spots. JC Hermus and Kimmie Leonard finished first overall out of the 18 boats with Connor Bayless and Fiona Lobon just behind in second place. Gray Benson and Madeline Pruzan rounded out the top three and the pair of Olivia de Olazarra and Sally Johnson finished fourth. Rounding out the Midshipmen's boats on Saturday was the team of Gavin McJones, Trenton Shaw, Sean Linden and Colin MacGillivray placing eighth and Carlyn Blauvelt and Elizabeth Linsdell posting a 13th-place finish.
 
On Sunday in the team racing portion of the event, Navy fielded two teams in the six-team competition, which featured improved conditions on Sunday that included puffy and shifty winds out of the southwest. One round robin was completed prior to the lunch break, however, after the break, the winds did not cooperate throughout the afternoon and the second round robin was abandon after two flights.
 
The Midshipmen's team of Bayless, Benson, Hermus, Pruzan, Leonard and Lobon, along with alternates Jonah Hatt and MacGillivray dominated the event and won each race in a breakaway 1-2 combination to finish with a 5-0 record. Navy's second team of de Olazarra, McJones, Caden Scheiblauer, Shaw, Linden, Johnson, Blauvelt and Linsdell finished the round 2-3 to place fourth overall after sailing in many close races.
 
Navy hits the road next weekend for the MAISA South Fleet on Saturday and Sunday in St. Mary's City, Md.