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Boat 9 makes a move on Williams Boat 7.
The first regatta of the season for the Branford High School sailing team ended in a loss when the team lost two races in a row to The Williams School of New London. Race competition requires the winner to win two out of three. The regatta was held at the Yale Corinthian Yacht Club in Short Beach last month.
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“We had some gusty practices and chilly temperatures so our work at practice has mostly focused on boat speed and handling,” Coach Amy Casey said. “Williams was our first race of the season and the first day with winds allowing for a true team race, tapping into tactics and strategy.”
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Two Branford boats catch up with Williams Boat 7.
Since the Williams race the Hornet sailors defeated Hand 2 – 0 but lost to Xavier 2 – 0 and the Sound School from New Haven 3 – 2 in an exciting race that included the lead Branford boat capsizing on the downwind leg of the last race. The team concluded their season in a Fleet Race competition at Avery Point.
Boat 9 included Co- Captain Cassandra Collins as ‘crew’ and Alisia Gruendel as ‘skipper.’
At the high school level they do team racing with three boats on a team against another set of three boats.
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Branford boats pull ahead of a Williams boat.
To win the race a team should be under 10 points in both races. The Williams School placed 1, 3 and 5 for 9 points and Branford placed 2, 4 and 6 for a score of 12.
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Boat 10 had Julia Howard-Flanders as ‘skipper’ and Andrew Salerno as ‘crew.’
Races begin with a three- minute start sequence. Sailors hunt other boats, prepare to cover and get the best position for the start. Sailors sailed a triangle course with an upward mark, gybe mark, leeward mark and then an upward finish.
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Boat 4 with Kyle Boucher as ‘skipper’ and John Perrotti as ‘crew’.
The boats have a team of two, the ‘Skipper’ who steers the boat and the ‘Crew’ who trims the sails, scouts out the wind and lays lines.
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Team members present for the first race of the season include: 1st row L-R Kyle Boucher, Alisia Gruendel, Izzy Gillis, Julia Howard-Flanders and Andrew Salerno. 2nd row L-R Jack Nelson (manager), Co-captain Alena Bianchi, John Perrotti, Co-CaptainCassandra Collins and Coach Amy Casey.
The 2016 sailing team is young with 10 juniors and 5 freshmen. The team has three seniors, Carson McCarns and co- captains Alena Bianchi and Cassandra Collins. “With two senior skippers graduating last spring, we are still working on effectively reading the wind and strategizing for winning combinations,” Coach Casey said.
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The race is over. “Head for shore, good race.”
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Hauling the boats out of the water after the race is over is part of the job.
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The regattas are held at the historic Yale Corinthian Yacht Club in Short Beach
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