The Hamilton sailing team finished the fall portion of their 2018–19 season two weekends ago with strong showings given the age of the team. Helmed by men’s captains Zach Baum ’19 and Cal Reynolds ’20 and by women’s captain Sofia Maeztu ’20, the team benefited from experienced leadership and has welcomed a group of new sailors as well.
The team, which had existed before at Hamilton but had fallen by the wayside when interest waned, was revamped in 2016 by Baum. Interest grew quickly, and by their first regatta in Fall 2016, the team had over 20 members that Reynolds described as “bright, young, and eager to learn and improve.” As a part of the Mid-Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association (MAISA), the Continentals race in regattas against teams ranging from Colgate University to Harvard University. The team competes in both the fall and the spring, practicing at the nearby Cazenovia Lake.
The regattas, which are weekend-long affairs that require exhausting days on the water and long travel times, are exciting meetings of some of the best collegiate sailors on the east coast. The team races in 420-class sailboats, with two sailors to a boat. There are no set boat player compositions; sailors can move from boat-to-boat depending on outside factors such as wind speed and prior regatta performance.
Hamilton attended three regattas during the fall season, the first of which was at Cornell University from Saturday, Sept. 8 to Sunday, Sept. 9. The second regatta of the season was hosted by neighbors to the north as the team travelled to Kingston, Ontario from Saturday, Sept. 29 to Sunday, Sept. 30 at Queens University. This regatta marked the team’s best overall finishes, where two boats achieved 4th-place finishes. One of the 4th-place boats had Baum skippering and Sarah Downey ’21 crewing. The other was skippered by Reynolds and crewed by Nicole Papert ’21. The team ended up 9th out of 13 teams overall.
The Merchant Marine Regatta at the US Merchant Marine Academy outside of New York City on Saturday, Oct. 13 was the third and final regatta for the team, and also marked the best single finish of the season, with one boat finishing in second place. That boat was also skippered by Reynolds and crewed by Papert for another successful finish from the duo. That second-place finish was in the 18th race of the weekend out of 22 races total. Baum noted the difficulty of such a long day, saying, “22 races in one weekend is no joke, and I’m proud of the dedication and teamwork displayed by everyone this season.”
Reynolds says, “The team’s performance in competition in the past two years can be described as very hot-and-cold. However, the familial team environment and holistic passion by our team members make me believe that we are eventually destined for consistent success in competition.”
The team will return in the spring for the end of their 2018–19 season. Next year, the Continentals will return two of their three experienced captains, retaining a key core that has made the team successful so far. Reynolds, as he moves into a senior leadership role next season, feels optimistic. “I have high hopes for the future of our team and that hopefully as early as next year we will be able to break through and rise to the top of our conference to qualify for the post-season championships, which would be a program first.”
Looking back on the fall season, Baum noted how the team has grown in MAISA recognition and in size since its re-establishment in 2016. “We’re looking forward to an even more competitive season next year as the team continues to grow,” he said.
The Continentals will sail again in a regatta planned for late April.
