LARCHMONT, N.Y. — The Mariners traveled to the Big Apple this past weekend to compete in the Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta (IOR), hosted by the Storm Trysail Club and the Larchmont Yacht Club. The event drew 49 teams from across the country, making it the largest keelboat regatta in collegiate sailing.
Representing the Maine Maritime in the competitive J/105 class, the team was led by senior skipper Nicho Paulu and senior trimmer Sarah Shank aboard the boat Apollo. The six races held on Saturday were fueled by a steady easterly breeze, providing excellent conditions for tight racing among the 12-boat fleet. Sunday racing was canceled due to an approaching storm.
Racing was fierce throughout the regatta, with top teams like the College of Charleston and Harvard frequently battling at the front of the fleet. The Mariners, sailing a boat unfamiliar to them, made consistent improvements throughout the day. As the crew adapted to flying an asymmetric spinnaker and learned the nuances of the J/105, their cohesion and speed steadily increased.
Bow duties were handled by junior Jack Greengrass and sophomore Henry Strawbridge, with first-year Isabel Dickson managing the pit. The trio worked together efficiently to execute smooth spinnaker sets and douses.
The regatta ended on a dramatic note for Apollo during the final race. As the team maneuvered near the starting line in Race 6, Paulu calmly announced, "I have no helm." With wind speeds ranging from 15 to 18 knots and boats all around, the crew skillfully used their sails to steer clear of the fleet and safely douse sails. Unfortunately, redress for the mechanical failure was denied, resulting in a DNS (Did Not Start) for the final race. This dropped the team from a potential 5th or 6th place finish to 8th overall.
Despite the setback, the Mariners walked away with valuable experience, having performed well in a challenging fleet while learning a new platform under pressure. Their performance and composure reflect the team's depth, resilience, and commitment to growth.
Women's Atlantic Coast Tournament @ Harvard
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- The Mariners women's team braved stiff competition this weekend as Harvard's hosted the Women's Atlantic Coast Tournament, sailing a full slate of 14 races per division. Despite being relatively new to elite collegiate women's sailing- the team showed flashes of strength in this championship-level fleet.
Conditions on the Charles presented a range of challenges throughout the weekend.
Saturday began with light air and calm waters, as sailors and race committee alike waited for wind to fill in. Racing didn't get underway until after 1 p.m., when a light southeasterly breeze at 3–8 knots gradually developed, shifting between ESE and SSE throughout the afternoon and requiring constant awareness of wind across the course—and especially at the starting line where frequent course-right shifts caused major wind ups at the start.
On Sunday, a strong northeasterly breeze took over, ranging from 10 to 22 knots, creating more dynamic and physically demanding racing.
At the start of the regatta, the Mariners made a strategic decision to swap sailors between divisions, ensuring each crew was placed in the boat they were most confident handling the stronger breeze forecasted. This adjustment aimed to maximize performance on Sunday when A Division switched to the 420s.
As part of the adjustment, first-year sailor Alma Bewsher stepped into the A Division lineup for the first time in her collegiate career—and did so on one of the biggest stages of the season, competing at a championship-level event.
Throughout the regatta, the A-division results reflected a learning curve as Bewsher and crews Julianna Demarco ('26), Taber Allen ('27), and Hannah Hills ('29) developed confidence on the start line and stronger finishes. Their efforts shaved critical points off the A-division score that allowed a strong day showing in B-Division to put the Mariners ahead of Wisconsin in the final four races of the event. Sophomores Jane Marvin and Simone Ford managed consistent mid-fleet finishes with a few standout races—a 4th in race four and a 5th in race 12—that buoyed the overall team's score.
While the overall 15th place may not tell the full story, the weekend was a valuable test of endurance and teamwork against some of the top women's programs in the country.
"What they did this weekend was incredibly tough--many sailors would have seen this kind of challenge as impossible and simply shut down," said Associate Coach Delaney Conlogue. "These young women went out for each set ready for more and cheering each other on."
"They may not fully see their full potential yet, but I do—and until they do, I'll keep believing in them enough for all of us."
COMING UP... The Mariners keelboat team heads to Annapolis to sail the Navy 44s in the McMillian Cup hosted by the Naval Academy, while the Open dinghy team heads to Boston for the Oberg Trophy at MIT—racing in both regattas runs 10/18-19.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS from Women's ACT can be found at hdfaphotography.shootproof.com
