REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - Stanford opened the 2023 spring season with two strong showings, taking first and second place in two home regattas. The Cardinal won the Bryson Women's Fleet Race and took second in the Top-9 Open Fleet Race.
"It was really great to get back on the water and compete," said head sailing coach Chris Klevan. "We have a long way to go to reach our goals, but I believe this is the group to do it. There are glimpses of that magic you need to be champions and I see that when the team comes together as one."
The Cardinal took command of the Bryson Women's Fleet Race early as the A and B division boats combined for three first place finishes out of six races during the first day of action. On day two, the B division boat earned three more victories in four races, while the A boat added two second place finishes for a total of 16 points.
Over the two day event, the Stanford A boat finished with 24 points and Stanford B totaled an event-best 13 points to claim the victory. Sophie Fisher and Abigail Tindall teamed up to command the A boat while Ellie Harned and Patricia Gerli worked together on the B boat to earn Stanford its first event win of 2023.
In the Top-9 Open Fleet Race, the Cardinal sailed well to earn a second-place finish, coming in just behind first-place UC Santa Barbara. Stanford recorded 54 points on the day, 26 from the A boat and 28 from the B boat, trailing the Gauchos who finished with 39.
Justin Lim and Gwendolyn Donahue commanded Stanford's A boat while the freshman duo of Jack Baldwin and Isabelle McNabb sailed on Stanford's B boat. Lim and Donahue grabbed two race wins during the regatta while Baldwin and Mcnabb earned four top-five finishes out of six total races.
Stanford returns to action at the Jeremy McIntyre Memorial Open Team Race for the third home event of the 2023 season next weekend, February 25-26.