MHS Sailing Team Competes in NE Women's Championship

The MHS Sailing team was very busy these past two weeks.  On May 4, the MHS sailing team sent a team of 7 women to Manchester to sail in the qualifying regatta for the NE High School Women’s Championship (Herreshoff Trophy), the next day the team went back to Manchester to team race the Manchester sailing team and the following Sunday the girls went to Hyannis for the Herreshoff Trophy Chamionship.  The team sailed very well for the three regattas and had a great week. 

The all-female Fishwagons squad sailed very well in variable conditions of 25-30kts on May 4 in Manchester and their placement qualified them for the Women’s Championship that was sailed Sunday, May 11 in Hyannis MA.  Sailors Teresa Bruno, Camille Homa, Lily Roberts, Marika Van Dusen, Katie Rodger, Nicole Torrie, and team captain Renee Torrie ended the day with a 2nd place finish behind Tabor Academy, from Marion, MA.  Renee Torrie (skipper) and Katie Rodger (crew) sailed to two first place finishes and two second place finishes. A 30+ knot gust during race 5 caused four boats to capsize, but Marblehead’s Camille Homa (skipper) and Lily Roberts (crew) stayed in control, didn’t capsize and came in second place! Nicole Torrie (skipper) and Marika Van Dusen (crew) continued Marblehead’s domination with a first place finish and a second place finish. Then crew Teresa Bruno concluded the day with Nicole Torrie and a strong second place in race 6.   The Fishwagon girls competed the next weekend in the New England Women’s Championship.  It was a beautiful sunny day with heavy wind conditions that started off light and then quickly shifted and built to 16-20 knots. Renee Torrie (skipper) sailed A fleet with Katie Rodger (crew) and Cashel Rice (crew) and won A fleet with 16 points and three 2nd place finishes. Camille Homa alternated skippering B fleet with Nicole Torrie and crews Teresa Bruno and Emily Ivers swapped after one set.  The team fared well and ended up finishing fifth at the Championship.

The whole Fishwagon team then traveled to Manchester on May 5 for a team race against Manchester-Essex Regional High School.  The team sailed outside of the harbor in breeze that gusted to 15+ knots.  Peter Lynn (skipper) and Marika van Dusen (crew), Captain Renee Torrie (skipper) and Captain Alan McKinnon (crew), Will Hundahl (skipper) and Emily Ivers (crew) sailed the races for Marblehead. The team did well against Manchester and did win a few team races. The regatta provided some great practice for the Fishwagons against another great sailing team.   Manchester ended up winning four of the five races sailed, however this was the first loss of the season for the team.

It was a great two weeks of sailing for the Fishwagons. The girls did very well at the qualifier and in the 2nd Annual NE Women’s Championship and although the team didn’t win against Manchester they sailed very well. The Fishwagons will be traveling up to the Maine Maritime Academy this weekend for the Downeast Regatta. They will, as always, be practicing Monday through Thursday after school so grab your shades this afternoon and come watch the sailing from any spot in the harbor!