CNU Sailing

Every season is different. Each brings its disappointments and its triumphs. The team we have each season is unique. If we focus on the failings we can call it a poor one. But if we concentrate on the positives it can be a good one.

We had expected this season to be the one in which we returned to the top ten in the Middle Atlantic InterCollegiate Sailing Association. When we lost our number one skipper even before the season started to academic problems, our entire focus changed to developing our new people and getting the best from our returning sailors. Rather than team goals, we gave our attention to individual successes. In this we were quite successful. Jessica Thal stepped up her game and improved dramatically all season long. Taylor Gray and Lynn Ball took up the slack and filled out our best A & B crew paring.

IMAGE: The team at the 2009 Christmas Party.

Tyler Myers, Maxwell Plarr, Amy Craven, Taylor Morgan, Sarah-Daye Hand, Meghan Magee, and Brennan Russell represented the team at most of the other events.

However, what was probably the most fun we had all fall was at the Central #2 Qualifier held at Washington College to which we took all women. This was an important event for the Central Region teams as it was one of their two qualifiers for the War Memorial. For CNU it was all fun and a great opportunity for our women to show what they could do. Not surprisingly, Jessica and Meghan posted a very creditable 4th in A Division. We rotated two pairs, Maggie Gore & Amy Craven and Victoria Miller & Katlin Kitchen in B Division where they took 8th of the 13 teams. Maggie and Amy finished up with a very well sailed 5th place. For both pairs, this was their first major event. We will certainly do the “all-girl” thing again in the spring.

Perhaps the most improved sailor we had in the fall was Taylor Morgan. Unfortunately, Taylor has gained admission to the Savannah School of Art & Design, one of the top schools of its type in the country. We are going to miss Taylor, but we are also happy with his good fortune and we will see him back at our Alumni Regatta one of the these years.
We were unable to qualify for the Wear Memorial, one of the few times we have not and sailed instead in the Luce Regatta that was held close to home at Hampton University. Our third place finish there was a very good showing.

One of the most interesting and welcome developments that began last spring, continued through the fall, and will go farther in the spring is the increasing number of events being run by CNU, Hampton, Virginia, and William & Mary. This means that more of our events will be close to home, less expensive to attend at a time when budgets are being cut, and we’ll have stronger relationships with other Virginia teams. It is one of the goals of MAISA leadership that we develop a series of events in each of the three regions to provide added goals to which teams may aspire.

We wrapped up the fall season with the SAISA/MAISA Regatta at Charleston, our traditional finish to the season. The fleet was strong this year and we were fortunate to place 12th of the 15 teams using most of the sailors we expect to have back in the spring. We do expect to have Amy Polhemus, Becca Hornick and Dara Gruber rejoining the team after lost semesters in which their academic schedules kept them out of competition.

The late news is that Jessica will not be able to sail due to class scheduling problems. But, as they say, “Every one else will have to step up their game. I have no doubt that they will do so.

Dan Winters, Coach

This was our last event of the Fall season and the team we took was one put together for several special reasons. Our team consisted of Taylor Morgan, Maxwell Plarr, Meghan Magee, Tyler Million, and Lynn Ball.

Taylor Morgan was taken because this would be his last event at CNU. He is transferring to a most prestigious school, the Savannah College of Art and Design where we wish him the best of luck. It is a great opportunity for him while a loss for the team. Taylor has only been sailing competitively since last spring and he has shown great potential. He had damaged his shoulder a few weeks ago and we limited him to a few lighter air races in which he scored a 4th and a 8th. Max and Lynn were included as our incredibly hard working co-captains who do everything of which a coach could ask of his officers.

Meghan has been one of our most reliable crews and a regular crew with Max. Finally, Tyler has unfortunately had too many required afternoon classes to be able to sail regularly since last fall. So, we took this opportunity to give him some time in competition. Tyler is still having problems with scheduling his classes to let him be more active with the team. We’ll be working to arrange practices in the spring to keep him active. His 5 single digit finishes at Charleston were quite impressive.

We really didn’t expect to be a major force at this event and our goal was to do well against the other local teams in attendance, Hampton and William & Mary. We ultimately finished 12th beating William & Mary but losing to Hampton, although we led them for some a good bit of the regatta.

The SAISA/MAISA at the College of Charleston has been a regular on our schedule since its inception years ago. However, the trip has become ever more expensive and the event is moving to the same weekend as our Alumni Regatta. So, this may have been the last time we make the trip south. Aside from that, the venue is not one of the better ones and the tides are as difficult to deal with as any to be found on the east coast.

However, this is Charleston, a great place to visit and the food is great. This year our Saturday dinner was at Tommy Condons. Tyler’s father manages one of the chain and he supplied us with a $75.00 gift card that meant we could enjoy some of the best the restaurant had to offer – and we did. The team pronounced the food as good as any and we extend to Jack Million our most sincere thanks.
The Annual MAISA Draft of events will be held on December 5th where we will learn what events we will have for the spring. We’ll be picking 15th out of 44 and expect to get all the events we want.

The boats have been put away for the winter and the only team activity left is the Annual Christmas Party at the sail loft. Regardless of how the season has gone, this is always a way to end the season on a most positive note.

Many contributed to our Alumni Regatta this year. I do have to give my special thanks to our Assistant Coach, Kate McClintock, and our team captains, Lynn Ball and Maxwell Plarr. Maxwell, in particular did everything except wash dishes and he didn’t quit for the day until well after 11:00 pm. And, the Oyster Roast wouldn’t even exist without Marty Moliken and the James River Marina crew. Special thanks go to all of those alumni and supporters who gave additional dollars for the support of the team. These are lean times for all and every dollar helps.

Both events were highly successful by any measurement.

We had 14 pairs of sailors for the regatta with 15 alumni and 14 current team members sailing. Several other alumni came but were unable to participate for various reasons. Will McCabe set the record for having come the farthest – Colorado.

The Oyster Roast was a great event and we will clear better than $1,500.00 for support of the team. This was the first year the event was run by the team and the James River staff. You can be sure it will be even better next year with what we learned from this year.

Can there be anything better than an outdoor culinary event featuring a sea food delicacy and three of the finest brews from Hampton’s own St. George Brewery all in perfect fall weather? I think not!

Here is how they finished in the regatta.

1st Keith Goodwin & Amy Polhemus
2nd Matt Lythgoe & Jerrica Nichols
3rd Jessica Thal & Meghan Magee
4th Justin Ailsworth & Sarah-Daye Hand
5th Mike Weaver & Amy Craven
6th Taylor Gray (Elmon) & Lynn Ball
7th Will McCabe & Becca Hornick
8th Nat Swanson & Kate McClinock
9th Nick Drake & Karyn Buhrman
10th Mark Stevens & Melissa Orndorf
11th Tyler (Henrry) Million & Maggie Gore
12th Victoria Miller, Katlin Kitchen, & Brennan Russell
13th Johanna Faroe & Mike Faroe
14th Pete Foytick & Brennan Russell