BHS takes fourth in team racing

Bainbridge placed fourth in varsity racing at last weekend’s NWISA District Championship in team racing.

The regatta, held May 5-6 in Dyes Inlet, Silverdale, completes the serious racing of the season for Bainbridge, leaving one final “for fun” regatta to be sailed next Saturday at Port Townsend, at which Bainbridge plans to also be represented.

Sailors faced a moderate and relatively steady breeze from the north on the first day of competition in Silverdale, but Sunday’s conditions were light and flukey, allowing for few races the second day.

Bainbridge sailors said host Central Kitsap organized a well-run and efficient regatta, and the rotations and viewing were excellent. Many parents and fans stopped by to check out the exciting racing, brilliant sunshine, and summer-like weather. During the hiatus of no wind there were spontaneous swimming competitions off the float, and capsize exercises on a few of the boats.

The varsity sailors completed a full round robin of 11 teams and a round of final four, 61 races total, which determined the champion, who will sail in San Diego at the Baker National Championship over Memorial Day weekend. Orcas, undefeated, will represent the Northwest District of the Interscholastic Sailing Association there. Bainbridge just missed the podium, winding up fourth, following Olympia, second, and Sehome, third. Sailors representing Bainbridge High were skippers Sophia Kasper, Zach Cooper and Olivia Mitchell. Crews were Hunter Johnston, Sophie Crandell and Banning Jones. The alternate was Chase Van Derrick.

The second fleet, known variously as silver and JV, consisted of teams from schools which had enough sailors to field a second team, and kids from schools with too few sailors to complete a six- to nine-member team combined to make a roster.

There were 13 teams in this separate regatta, which was run off the opposite side of the old town dock by volunteers from Friends of Bainbridge Island High School Sailing and Port Madison Yacht Club.

An incomplete round robin was sailed, 61 of a planned 91 races, which scores on a percentage basis and skews the results slightly.

Nevertheless, Bainbridge finished this regatta in fourth also, a quite a respectable accomplishment, since the team was all from one school.

The winner of the JV regatta was a Gig Harbor conglomerate, followed by conglomerates from Olympia and Lincoln of Oregon.

Skippers for Bainbridge were Max Doane, who became seriously injured in the first race and had to be retired, Lindsay Campbell, Dane Petrakis, Camden Lee and Parker Hutchinson, who also participated as crew. Other crews included Camden Lee, Chase Van Derrick, Gus Beer and Trevor Royset. Additional crews who participated Sunday only were Noah Maher and Jack Bennett.

BHS takes fourth in team racing
BHS takes fourth in team racing
BHS takes fourth in team racing
BHS takes fourth in team racing
BHS takes fourth in team racing