By Nick Judson
Contributing Writer
The Whalers sailing team competed at the O’Day qualifying regatta at Brewster Academy on Lake Winnipesaukee Saturday and finished ninth out of 15 teams, missing the cut for the finals Sunday.
Last year the Whalers advanced to the finals for the first time ever by qualifying at Brewster Academy and they chose that site once again hoping to repeat that performance. The top three finishers at five qualifying regattas earned a trip to the New England Fleet Racing Championships, also known as the O’Day Trophy in Portland, Maine Sunday.
Friday the Whalers traveled to Hyannis Yacht Club to compete in the Barnstable High School Fleet Racing Invitational. Three years ago Barnstable started the Invitational to help the Cape and Islands League teams get prepared for the busy weekend.
Conditions at Brewster Saturday were not ideal as the winds were light and variable. The race committee struggled to get enough races in to make the qualifier count.
The Whalers had a rough start as Adam Ceely and Jesse Lang were in the lead pack of boats in one of the early races that was abandoned half way through because the wind died. After only four races Ceely and Lang were 11th in “A” Division and Matt Fabiszak alternating with Meaghan Lynch and Sarah Poor were eighth in “B” Division. Their combined total put them in 9th place overall, only two points out of seventh, but not in a position to move on to the finals.
The highlight of the day for the Whalers was the constant sharing of information between the “A” and “B” division boats, according to coach Mike Fleischut. Prior to the last “B” division race, Ceely and Lang told Fabiszak and Poor about a strange wind shift and puff that they had just experienced and armed with this knowledge Fabiszak and Poor went out and won the last race finishing a difficult regatta on a strong note.
Friday at the Barnstable Invitational Nantucket’s Ceely and Lang finished in the top four in every race, including three first-place finishes, to take second overall, only one point behind the first place crew. Fabiszak again sailing with crews Lynch and Poor finished in a solid 10th place overall against mostly “A” division skippers.
This week is a critical one for the Whalers who are currently in first place in the Cape and Islands League and ranked second in New England in team racing. They must compete in a total of seven team racing matches by Sunday in order to be considered as a potential participant in the Mark Trophy, New England’s team racing Championship. Nantucket has never qualified for the Mark Trophy and if they fair well in their next four regattas they have a strong chance of qualifying.
The Whalers are scheduled to sail at Barnstable Friday against Barnstable, Falmouth and Bourne and host Tabor Academy’s varsity and JV Saturday.
Nick Judson is the head coach of the Nantucket High School sailing team and executive director of Nantucket Community Sailing.
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