Yale Athletics

The Bulldogs powered through low winds and an unusual format in their races over the weekend, finishing 3rd, 7th and 11th in three separate competitions. 

Morgan Pinckney ’27, Annabel Woodworth ’28, Dorothy Mendelblatt ’28 and Julia Miller ’26 represented Yale at home for an Open Atlantic Coast Championship qualifier event. Due to low winds, racing only took place on Saturday. 

After a pair of unfortunate finishes in the first two rounds, the Bulldogs sat in 14th place. However, the sailors managed to claw their way back up to a tie for sixth by the evening break. The lack of Sunday sailing was punishing, with their final positioning being determined by a tiebreaker rather than further racing. 

The largest group of Bulldogs competed in the Stu Nelson regatta at Connecticut College. This race used an atypical fleet racing ruleset, under which each team raced three boats instead of the usual two. 

Elle Sykes ’27 explained that each boat had “fewer races than normal.”

“But this also means that having a deep team is advantageous,” Sykes said. “Going into the regatta, our team was focused on sharing information between our three boats and making each race count.”

The weather in New London — the location of Connecticut College — was better than at Yale, so the Bulldogs received a fuller allotment of races. 

In 10th place following the first round, Ella Benedetto ’29 maintained a positive mindset. 

“Most of the time, you’re not going to win every race, but if you have one bad race, you can’t let it ruin every other one,” Benedetto explained. “You shake it off and start again. The key is to be as consistent as possible, and you can still end up in the top 3.”

Sykes and Benedetto, joined by Audrey Foley ’28 and Ashley Highland ’27, earned third place in the regatta.

At the team’s third location, Alexander Adams ’26, Margaret Ratzan ’29, Clara Diaz Suarez ’28 and Matilda Twigg ’29 sailed on the Mount Hope Bay at the Sister Ester Trophy race. Yale finished 11th at the event, which was hosted by Roger Williams University. 

On Saturday and Sunday, the Bulldogs will compete in the Women’s Atlantic Coast Championship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Nevins Trophy at King’s Point and the Dave Perry Trophy at home.