Sailing to Co-Host ICSA Fleet Racing National Championships - Harvard University

Harvard University

Harvard Sailing
Sailing to Co-Host ICSA Fleet Racing National Championships
Sailing
Posted: 5/15/2024 10:54:00 AM
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard Sailing, along with MIT, will play host to the ICSA Women's and Open Fleet Racing National Championships on the Charles River next week. The women's competition is slated for May 20-May 23, with the open regatta set for May 24-27.
 
The ICSA Women's Fleet Racing semifinals will take place May 20-21, with the finals to follow May 22-23. The open event, meanwhile, will follow the same cadence – semis the first two days, May 24-25, with the finals scheduled for May 26-27. ESPN+ will have coverage May 21, 23, 25, and 27. International viewers can watch the action through Stretch Internet.

What to Know

  • The Crimson is co-hosting with MIT two ICSA national championships for the second time in less than a month after welcoming an elite field to the Charles River for the team racing event in late April.
  • Harvard finished in second place at the ICSA Open Team Racing National Championship (April 25-27), following its 17.50-4 record. Entering as the defending national champs, the Crimson fell a half-win shy of 2024 winner Roger Williams, which compiled a mark of 18-4.
  • The Harvard women's team came in fifth place at the ICSA Women's Team Racing National Championship (April 28-29), logging its best performance in program history. The Crimson finished just outside the top four with a record of 9-7, denying it the chance to compete for a national title. Stanford found itself atop the leaderboard at 18-1, and was followed by Yale (13-6), Boston College (12-7) and Dartmouth (11-8).
  • In the days that followed the conclusion of the ICSA Women's Team Racing National Championship, the Ivy League revealed its postseason honors. Head coach Michael O'Connor was named Ivy Women's Sailing Coach of the Year, with Sarah Burn (first team) and Lily Bartlett (second team) earning all-conference accolades. Burn also collected Academic All-Ivy honors.
  • Harvard enters next week's action as the No.-7 seed in the ICSA Women's Fleet Racing National Championship. The Crimson earned an at-large berth and will be one of 36 teams in the field.
  • The Crimson open squad was one of 11 automatic qualifiers, joining Brown as the NEISA's two automatic entrants. Harvard will begin its quest for a national title as the No. 1 seed among a field of 35 other teams. The Crimson secured its spot in the regatta after winning the New England Open Fleet Racing Championship, April 20-21, in Providence, Rhode Island.
  • Harvard will open the women's regatta in the western semifinals, while the Crimson open entrant will begin its national-championship journey on the eastern semifinal side.
  • The Harvard women's team will look to improve upon its sixth-place performance a year ago at the ICSA Women's Fleet Race Nationals at King's Point, New York. Back this season from that squad is Sarah Burn, who competed in the A-Division, and B-Division sailors Marbella Marlo, Cordelia Burn and Margo Silliman.
  • Harvard has finished in the top six of the women's regatta three consecutive times (2019 – 2nd, 2022 – 4th, 2023 – 6th). The Crimson will be in search of its first national fleet race title since 2005 and its sixth overall after capturing the crown in 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972 and 2005.
  • On the open side, the Crimson returns Lachlain McGranahan (A-Division), Justin Callahan (B-Division) and Kennedy Leehealey (B-Division) off last year's group that posted a third-place finish at the ICSA Open Fleet Race National Championship.
  • Harvard the last two seasons has finished in the top 10 at the open fleet race event, coming in 10th in 2022 and third a year ago. The Crimson will be in search of its first national title since 2003 and sixth overall (1952, 1953, 1959, 1974, 2003).
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