ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Hosting the first of its three home regattas this fall, the Navy offshore sailing team competed in a pair of events this weekend in Annapolis, placing fourth in the home Shields Trophy while taking second and third place in the nearby Hospice Cup.
 
The Shields Trophy, first hosted by Navy in 1963, had ten teams from across the nation competing. Saturday's conditions brought light and fickle wind, causing a delay in racing, but three races were completed by the end of the day. Cal Poly Maritime and the College of Charleston led the first day while Navy got off to a slow start, finding themselves in sixth place.
 
Racing resumed Sunday morning with brisk winds, and Navy found their footing consistently in the lead group. By the end of the event, the Midshipmen du out of the deficit created on Saturday to finish just two points shy of the podium. Competing for Navy were seniors Logan Hayes, Ford Buckley, Frank Bradshaw, Lauren Aaby, Aden Newman and Mike Fernandez along with juniors Margret Bush, Brendan Hawko and Nolan Stanfield.
 
Navy also had two crews at the Hospice Cup, hosted by the Sailing Club of the Chesapeake, with CONSTELLATION finishing as runner-up in the J/105 class and AVENGER taking third in the same class.
 
Navy continues the season this weekend with the Annapolis Yacht Club Race to Solomons and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta.