ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. – With the college sailing season wrapping up this week at the ICSA Open Fleet Race Championship in St. Mary's City, Md., the Navy intercollegiate sailing team extended its campaign two more days by advancing to the national finals Wednesday afternoon.
 
Featuring the top 36 teams in the country, the event's first stage was split into two evenly-divided 18-team semifinal rounds, with the top nine schools from semifinal stage advancing to the finals in the championship stage.
 
Tuesday saw light and shifty winds out of the east that allowed for only four races in the "A" division and 3 races for the "B" division. The Midshipmen were able to score some good finishes in the tricky conditions and stood in fifth after the first day.
 
Wednesday then saw heavy rain and stronger winds, but those winds remained puffy and shifty from the east. The fleet was very close throughout the day and the final spots to advance to the finals were determined at the very end, with many teams fighting on the bubble. The Mids were able to stay just above the fray and finished third in their semifinal, earning a finals berth. Nathan Smith and Ellie Alex finished fifth in the "A" division while Jack Welburn, Henry Allgeier, Darby Graham and Fiona Cullen were third in the "B" division.
 
The ISCA Open Fleet Race Finals will be in St. Mary's City on Thursday and Friday.