America Trophy 2025
April 19
Conditions: 0-10 knots. Super shifty and puffy, clocking right all day.
On Saturday, April 19th, the lions competed at The America Trophy for the first time in three years. Both A and B set out for the first warning scheduled for 9:30am. The first race started on time and Elizabeth Frost (‘27) and Alex Yuen (‘25) were off to a good start in A fleet, but the wind died on the first beat and the race was abandoned. The fleet was sent back inside to wait out an incoming storm, and afterwards, went back out for a second time. The wind was spotty and finding pressure was crucial to staying in the race. A fleet was able to start a race in the borderline conditions, and B fleet’s first race followed. Eva DeCastro (‘28) and Chase O’Malley (‘26) started their first race as the wind clocked right and the race turned into a drag race, making gaining opportunities slim. After the first race of the set, the wind died again and the fleets were sent in for another postponement.
At 5pm, the RC tried one last time, sending the fleets out, but A fleet’s race was abandoned one minute up the first beat and racing was concluded for the day.
The lions checked out downtown Ithaca and got a team dinner and ice cream.
April 20
Conditions: 8-18 knots. Consistent northerly, 1-3 ft waves.
A and B fleet started the day off in strong winds and waves coming from the north. The race committee moved the start time half an hour earlier in hopes to get more races in. A fleet started their second race of the first set at 9:30am, getting a good start at the boat, they worked up the middle, leveraging the fleet on both sides and looking for pressure. The B fleet started just behind on the same course and held their own throughout the race. Both teams climbed up the ranks, stayed consistent, and kept the energy up as race committee knocked out the races with both fleets racing on the same course.
In the morning, the right seemed to pay at times because of smaller waves on the upwind and pressure bouncing off of land giving a geographical shift, but sailing too far to the right or tacking out from the line right away meant less breeze so a balance was crucial.
As the clouds cleared and the breeze lightened up, pressure led to making the most gains both downwind and upwind. Frost and Yuen started off strong, finishing in the top half of the fleet and getting a 4th place in their 7th race. Later in the afternoon, they had a rough time staying with the fleet as the conditions changed and the fatigue of the day set in. DeCastro and O’Malley tackled B fleet in FJs and as the wind lightened up, and Stella Densley (‘27) swapped to crew and finished the day off strong with a 7th place!
Overall the race committee was able to finish twenty-two races, eleven races per fleet, allowing for many competitive and fair races, giving every team a shot at the trophy.
The Lions finished 15th, with everything left on the water, and lots to learn. They look forward to another season as we continue to progress as a team and prepare for the fall season.
Check out the scores here: https://scores.collegesailing.org/s25/america/full-scores/