Charleston set to open spring slate on home waters

Saturday, February 11

Charleston, S.C.

College of Charleston

Southern Collegiate Offshore Regatta

2/10/2023 9:00:00 AM | Sailing

CHARLESTON, S.C. – College of Charleston sailing takes to the water for the first time this spring with the Southern Collegiate Offshore Regatta. The Cougars enter the spring season No. 14 in the Women's Rankings and No. 15 in the Open Rankings – the only SAISA team in the top-20 of the Open ranks.

A total of 16 teams will make the trip to the Holy City this weekend as Sims Whalen will be driving with Sam Rosenbaum at main, John McCarthy at primary trimmer, Declan Donovan at secondary trimmer, Hadley Walsh at pit, Evan Chenard at mast, Connor Marion at bow, Emmi Triplett at squirrel, Bo Dwyer at runner and Sean Groskoph will be tactician.

Last time out Charleston turned in its best performance at the ICSA Match Race National Championship since 2017, sweeping Stanford in the quarterfinals and Brown in the semifinals en route to a second-place finish at the San Diego Yacht Club.

Skippered by senior Axel Stordahl, the Cougars responded in a big way in the quarterfinals besting third-seeded Stanford in back-to-back races to reach Sunday's semifinal round. The Cougars carried the momentum into the final four sweeping Brown to earn a berth in the finals against top-seeded Yale.

The defending champion Bulldogs would deny the Cougars' bid for the program's seventh match race national championship, delivering three straight wins to capture the title. Representing the Cougars were Stordahl at skipper, as well as juniors Lucy Klempen and Lawson Levine, and sophomore Garrett Grenauer at crew.

This weekend is the first of five on home waters for the Cougars as they return March 4-5 for the Phebe Cockran Open Team Race. The Cougars won't leave the city of Charleston until March as they also take part in the SAISA North Tournament Feb. 25, hosted by The Citadel.

For up-to-date race information and scores from this weekend's racing, visit scores.collegesailing.org.

2023 Southern Collegiate Offshore Regatta Field: Clemson, College of Charleston, Georgia Tech, NC State, Princeton, The Citadel, Michigan, Rhode Island, South Carolina, USF, Embry-Riddle, Vermont, Wisconsin, US Coast Guard Academy, Navy and US Merchants Marine Academy