Charleston Captures Sixth ICSA Keelboat National Championship

Saturday, November 2

Atlanta, Ga.

College of Charleston

SAISA Fall Coed Championships

Charleston Captures Sixth ICSA Keelboat National Championship

11/4/2019 12:07:00 PM | Sailing

ANNAPOLIS, Md. --- The College of Charleston offshore sailing team delivered the Cougars' first major victory of the season this past weekend winning the Kennedy Cup, which serves as the offshore national championship, for the first time since 2014 and sixth time in program history.

"Our team has worked very hard to put themselves in a position where they could win the Kennedy Cup this year," Director of Sailing Kevin Jewett said. "It is great to see their efforts pay off in this classic event. To be crowned the Collegiate Large Yacht National Champions is amazing and a real credit to the consistent efforts our sailors and coaches put in to be the best."

Charleston finished the six-race, two-day Kennedy Cup with 16 points to beat out second-place Coast Guard by seven points. Wins in races one and three and a second-place finish in race two allowed Charleston to build an early lead that it would not relinquish. Sailing for the Cougars were: driver Jordan Wiggins, main William Comerford, primary Sam Tobio, secondary Chance Slack, pit Emily Essi, mast Graham Post, bow Burke Anvari and squirrel Emily Potter.

Charleston collected its second win of the weekend at the SAISA Fall Coed Championship on Saturday and Sunday in Atlanta, Ga. The Cougars delivered a dominating performance winning the regatta by 31 points over second-place Jacksonville.

Senior skipper Alie Toppa guided the Cougars to a 19-point win in B-Division with 17 points and seven victories from 10 races. Hunter Skinner crewed the first eight races with Katie Lounsbury slotting in for the final two. Junior Jack Brown skippered Charleston to a 12-point win in A-Division with 25 points alongside Lounsbury and Skinner.

The Cougars will set sail in two regattas next weekend: ICSA Singlehanded National Championships on Saturday and Sunday in Santa Barbara, Calif. and the HS Regatta on Saturday and Sunday at the J. Stewart Walker Sailing Complex.