Cougar Sailors Win Coed National Championship

After four days of tight competition in Newport, Rhode Island, the College of Charleston’s sailing team came away with a big win in the Gill Coed National Championship Regatta. This culminating event of the collegiate sailing championships started on Wednesday, May 29, 2019, with 36 teams from across the country competing. The College’s squad implemented seasoned strategy and top-tier sailing skills to cement the win three days and 32 races later on Friday, May 31, 2019.

According to the College’s sailing director, Kevin Jewett, the win – a repeat of the team’s performance from two years ago – required a concentrated effort from the entire team.

“The event came down to the final beat of the final race in Newport Harbor,” says Jewett, “that’s how close it was. You have to consider that this regatta is made up of two events. You first have to sail well in the two days of semifinals to qualify and become one of the 18 teams that race in the championship round. In the semis, we had a huge list of sailors representing the team, including Jack Brown, Carter Cameron ‘19, Hunter Skinner ‘19, Steve Lueck, Payton Alexander ‘19, Lawson Williford ‘19 and Claire Perry ‘19. They all swapped in and out, which allowed Katie Lounsbury, Augie Dale ‘19, Alie Toppa and Annabel Carrington ‘19 some very important time to rest and relax in preparation for the finals.”

In the championship round, Jewett says that Dale and Lounsbury anchored the team in the A Division, sailing all 16 races.

“Those two battled to pass boats throughout the event,” he says. “They showed great poise in winning this division by four points.”

In the B Division, Toppa and Carrrington sailed 12 of the 16 races. They came out of the gate strong and led the division after the first four races. That got the team off to a great start, says Jewett. At the end of each day of racing, Head Coach Ward Cromwell made a swap and put Jack Brown and Payton Alexander in the boat for the B Division.

“Those two had fresh legs,” Jewett explains, “and they were well suited in terms of crew weight for the conditions we saw in those races. Really, that was a great move on Ward’s part because Brown and Alexander were able to manage the pressure of the situation and seal the championship for the team. In my view, the team pulled together beautifully to win this regatta, and I couldn’t be more proud of this result. It’s really the culmination of years of effort and focus by all those who represented us on the water and supported us from near and far.”

When the awards were handed out at the shoreside venue at Sail Newport, Augie Dale (one of three finalists for College Sailor of the Year) was named an All American skipper, as was Alie Toppa (also a finalist for Women’s College Sailor of the Year). Both Carrington and Lounsbury were named All American Crew, and Carter Cameron was a finalist for Hobbs Sportsman of the Year. This victory marks the seventh time that a team from the College has won the Coed Dinghy National Championship event.

Full scores, details and images from the event can be found online at the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association website.

Featured image: Sailors Jack Brown and Payton Alexander react after winning the Gill Coed National Championship Regatta. Photo by Rob Migliaccio