About Us
Meet Columbia Sailing
Columbia Sailing is a student-run club sport at Columbia University. We have a race team which sails competitively in the Mid-Atlantic district of the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA). Our racers travel across the country to compete in regattas against some of the best sailing teams in the country. The team also runs a robust learn to sail program for beginners and those who want to improve their sailing skills. The team sails during both a fall and spring season, but remains active all school-year long with winter training and weekly meetings and chalk talks. Columbia Sailing is a tight knit community that welcomes all who want to experience the joy of the sport, and our mission is to make sailing accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
Our Three Cohorts
Race Team
Our race team is our competitive team of sailors that travel to regattas and compete at the highest level of college sailing. These dedicated sailors practice at least twice a week and attend team workouts. Our race team competes in the MAISA division of college sailing, and while many of our regattas are around the New York City area, some regattas require our team to travel across the east coast and the country.
Development Team
Our development team is comprised of sailors actively seeking to improve their sailing skills. Sailors can enter the program as a beginner, and will leave knowing the basics of sailing. Our development team is also designed to help sailors prepare and improve to join the race team. Our development team practices at least once a week and follows a learn to sail program on and off the water to develop the necessary skills for sailing.
Learn to Sail
Our learn to sail program is offered every Friday, and sailors of all experiences ranges can come to experience the joys of sailing. Sailors can come as often as they would like to get a taste of what it is like to be a sailor and get acclimated to being on a sailboat. Learn to sail days are designed to be fun and exciting retreats from the city and school.
Coaching
Loghlen
Our team is led by Head Coach Loghlen Rickard. Coach Rickard started sailing in Dublin, Ireland and quickly became a standout Optimist sailor, achieving the top rank in Ireland's Junior Fleet and securing a national title. After transitioning to the Laser Radial (now ILCA 6), he was selected for the ISA Youth Olympic Pathway Academy. He then won the Under-17 National Championship, placed 24th in the Youth World and European Championship, and claimed the North American Youth Radial Champion title in 2017. He also sailed in the 29er, i420, Elliott 6m, Firefly, and Waszp classes.
In college, Loghlen led the University College Dublin sailing team to win three consecutive college national championships and the inaugural Student Match Racing National Championship.
He graduated from University College Dublin in May of 2023 with a degree in Computer Science before becoming the Head Coach at Larchmont Yacht Club and Columbia University Sailing Team. He seeks to work hard to build a cohesive unit that consistently competes at the top level of collegiate sailing, both in MAISA and nationally.
Alex
Loghlen is augmented by Assistant Coach Alex Yuen. Alex is a recent graduate of Columbia College, 3-time CUST board member, and was integral to the team's success during his four years with us as a student. We are overjoyed that he has the time to help out our team while working on his master's!
You can reach him at [email protected]
