ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy intercollegiate sailing team hosted three events this weekend in Annapolis, highlighted by the first conference championship of the year in the MAISA Women's Singlehanded Championship for the Faye Bennet Trophy. The Midshipmen were able to take first place in both the Chesapeake Invitational and Chesapeake Open, while freshman Danielle Lynch-Smith placed seventh at the Faye Bennet Trophy.
 
Navy had three women competing in the 18-boat MAISA Women's Singlehanded Championship. Light winds Saturday allowed for only four races to be completed, and Sunday brought more wind but huge oscillations made conditions difficult for the race committee and competitors. Freshman Kaya Hancock looked strong when the wind was up Sunday morning but struggled in the lighter conditions that prevailed most of the weekend, finishing 12th overall, while senior Kate Zurinskas opened the second day with a race win but couldn't keep the momentum going and placed 11th. Freshman Danielle Lynch-Smith showed good speed and technique, posting solid finishes on the way to a seventh-place overall finish.
 
The Chesapeake Open featured a nine-team combined-division regatta in FJs and 420s. Sailing closer to the Naval Academy, conditions were less favorable than the MAISA Women's Singlehandeds and only seven races were completed over the weekend. Navy stayed consistent, with both boats finishing in the top seven in every race to score the overall win for the Mids. Navy's team of senior Hugh Carty, senior Teddy Martin, sophomore Noelle Sizemore and sophomore Jessica Green lost a tiebreaker to finish second in the combined division, while the group of junior Umi Noritake, freshman Cole Fanchi, senior Eva Ottenbreit and junior Melania Gonzalez finished a few points back in fourth place.
 
The Chesapeake Invitational raced on the same course as the Open and featured six teams with three boats each in a combined division. Navy took the lead out of the gate and expanded its advantage throughout the eight-race series to win by 49 points. Senior Henry Allgeier and senior Fiona Cullen won the combined division, junior Owen MacWilliams and freshman Madeleine Garrett placed second while junior Kyle Reinecke and junior Molly Jethwa finished fifth.
 
Navy continues the fall season on Sept. 26-27 with the Intrepid Trophy, the St. Mary's Open and the Navy Home Scrimmage.