ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy intercollegiate sailing team wrapped up another busy weekend of racing, finishing fourth in a pair of road regattas while also hosting the Truxtun Umsted Open Fleet Race in Annapolis.
 
The last regular-season team racing regatta, the MAISA Women's Team Race Championship featured seven teams competing in Ithaca, N.Y. Hosted by Cornell, the event's weather was gorgeous all weekend with sunny skies, temperatures in the mid-to-upper 70s and south winds at 5-12 knots with flat water, as the near-ideal conditions allowed for the triple round-robin format to be completed with time to spare.
 
Navy got off to a slow start by losing its first two races, but the team gained confidence and improved throughout the weekend to finish with an 8-10 overall record that placed them fourth. Navy's skippers were junior Aubin Hattendorf, sophomore Evie Blauvelt and freshman Ava Farley, with crews consisting of juniors Catherine Aitken and Julia Christie and sophomores Linnea Forsberg and Maggie Schuler.
 
Navy's other away regatta was the Owen Trophy at the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y. This event saw a wide range of wind directions, but all 14 races per division were completed before the cutoff time. The 14-team field featured many top teams from around the country, as the Midshipmen finished fourth overall, with sophomore Tanner Kelly and freshman Eleanor Niehoff finishing 10th in the "A" division while sophomore Robert Ziman and freshman Darby Graham placed second in the "B" division.
 
Navy's Truxtun Umsted Open Fleet Race marked the first major co-ed fleet race of the spring, but storms and light winds limited the competition to only eight races per division. The racing was very tight at the top throughout the weekend, with the top teams trading places regularly, as Navy wound up fifth overall in the 14-team field, a mere two points behind the three teams tied for second place. Taking third in the "A" Division were senior Gavin McJones and freshman Ellie Alex, while sophomore Cooper Walshe and junior Madeline Smith finished sixth in the "B" division.
 
Navy will now get ready for three more regattas on April 22-23, heading out to the MAISA Spring Women's Fleet Race Championship in St. Mary's City, Md., the George Washington Invitational in Washington, D.C., and the Admiral's Cup at Kings Point, N.Y.