TAMPA, FLA. – The University of South Florida women's sailing team faced challenging conditions at the Jen Harris Women's Team Race, a two-day event hosted by the Naval Academy on March 8-9.
With temperatures falling below 50 degrees for both air and water, College Sailing's "50-50" rule was in effect all weekend, requiring all competitors to wear dry suits. Accustomed to the warm waters of Tampa Bay, the Bulls adapted to the harsh conditions and braved the elements. Winds gusted up to 25 knots, leading to a particularly demanding race where USF endured three capsizes. Despite the setbacks, the team showed resilience, righting their boats without outside assistance and continuing to compete.
Racing began Saturday with a full round-robin among all 12 competing teams. The Bulls finished the day tied for eighth overall. On Sunday, the top six teams advanced to the Gold Fleet, while the remaining teams, including USF, competed in the Silver Fleet. Despite tough conditions, South Florida fought through adversity, finishing with a 5-11 overall record to place inside the top-10.
"We faced conditions that were outside of our usual training environment, but our team showed grit and determination," said head coach Allison Jolly. "Competing against some of the top teams in the country in difficult weather was a valuable learning experience, and I'm proud of the way our sailors handled the challenges."
Senior team members Kay Brunsvold and Kalea Woodard, juniors Madisen Hamai, Melissa Janes, and Cate Brennan, sophomore Kailey Warrior, and first-years Ruth Bergman and Ghislaine van Empel all represented USF at the event.
Up next, the Bulls shift their focus to the St. Mary's Fleet Race, set for Saturday and Sunday, March 15-16, in St. Mary's City, Md.
Follow the team on Twitter and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.
About USF Sailing
The USF sailing program has reached the national finals in 11 of the last 12 years. The Bulls finished in the top 10 during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. The sailing team is based out of St. Petersburg and has been led since 2014 by head coach Allison Jolly, a former USA Olympian and Gold Medalist, 2016 Florida Sports Hall of Fame inductee and 2019 U.S. National Sailing Hall of Fame inductee.
– #GoBulls –
