"J/Fest" Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta dominated by J/Teams
by J/Boats 21 Oct 15:22 UTC
12-13 October 2024
"J/Fest" Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta dominated by J/Teams © Steve Cloutier/ @BlockIslandSteve on Instagram
This past weekend, from October 12th to 13th, the de-facto "J/Fest" Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta (IOR) took place at Larchmont Yacht Club, co-hosted by Storm Trysail Club.
The event saw 42 schools from 19 U.S. states and 3 Canadian provinces come together for a unique offshore sailing experience, designed to give collegiate sailors a new challenge beyond their typical college sailing experiences.
This year's regatta featured 30 J/Boats owners generously contributing their boats- 71.0% of the 42-boat fleet! J/Boat owners have been enthusiastic participants in this event as they support their alma maters from across the USA. It's quite extraordinary to see J/Teams supported from California to Maine and Minnesota to Texas!
In the end, J/105s ruled! The Webb Institute J/105-mod SLEEPER and College of Charleston's J/105 KESTREL teams took top honors!
Saturday delivered perfect conditions for the sailors, with sunny skies and a steady breeze of 8-12 knots, ideal for racing. All classes completed four windward-leeward races over a 5-nautical mile course, making the most of the favorable weather. Sunday started with overcast skies, but the clouds soon parted, allowing for an early start and two additional races to round out the weekend. The sailors enjoyed solid competition across both days, thanks to the great weather and race management.
The prestigious Paul Hoffman Trophy, awarded to the overall winner with the highest winning percentage, went to Webb Institute's modified J/105 SLEEPER, skippered by Rayne Duff. Duff credited their victory to "consistently good starts, a team that works great together, and a fun-focused attitude were the most important things this weekend." Webb Institute, known for its strong offshore program, delivered a stellar performance throughout the event, not losing a single race.
The IOR is a monumental undertaking, relying on the generous donation of boats and time from owners and club members who offer college sailors a unique opportunity to experience offshore racing. While some schools, like Webb, have dedicated offshore teams, many of the participating schools only sail keelboats once a year, with a primary focus on dinghy sailing. Despite this, teams traveled from as far as Texas A&M in Galveston, the University of Wisconsin, and Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia to compete in this annual event.
Yet despite the logistics, the event continues to grow, and organizers were thrilled to welcome new schools this year: Clemson University, Middlebury College, Olin College of Engineering, Rutgers University, Texas A&M, the University of New Hampshire, and the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
The Puff Trophy, awarded to the team with the second-highest winning percentage, went to the College of Charleston Cougars for their outstanding performance in the J/105 KESTREL, owned by CofC alum Chuck McCarthy. Skipper Luke Tougas reflected on the weekend, sharing, "Larchmont IOR is an event that we look forward to every year because of the many opportunities it provides. This event came down to how bad we wanted it." Tougas credited the team's success to crew work and teamwork, explaining, "It's easy to drive the boat in the right direction, but it's not easy to keep the sails in the perfect spots at all times." He also expressed gratitude to the McCarthy family for providing the team with a J/105 and thanked their safety officer, Ned Goss, for keeping the team motivated with his mantra, "Firetrucks don't stop at red lights!"
PHRF Large Division
Five J/Teams were participating in this eight-boat division. The top dog amongst J/crews was the US Navy's J/44 MAXINE posting four 1sts and a deuce, but did not win. An arbitrary penalty was leveled on them for 10/ABD... whatever that means. As a result, they took the silver medal. The next two teams also suffered a similar fate. Fourth went to Univ. of Maryland's J/124 TENEBRAE and fifth place went to Mass Maritime's J/122 DIRE WOLF.
PHRF Medium Division
This eight-boat fleet saw two J/Teams on the starting line. Northeastern University's J/112E REBELLE sailed a solid series to take the bronze medal.
PHRF Small Division
This half-dozen boat fleet was predominated by J/crews sweeping the top three spots on the podium! Winning was Webb Institute's J/105-mod SLEEPER, followed by Univ. Vermont's J/88 ONE TOO MANY in second place, and Syracuse Univ.'s J/99 THIN MAN in third position.
J/109 Class
Five teams were sailing this one-design class. The regatta turned into a "mano-a-mano" duel between two very well-sailed teams. In the end, it was Brown Univ.'s NORDLYS that won with 11 pts, followed by Univ. Wisconsin's TBD with 12 pts. Rounding out the podium with the bronze medal was Embry-Riddle College's AVIATO with 19 pts.
J/105 Class
The largest fleet in the event, the twelve-boat fleet included many talented teams that are accustomed to J/105s and are experienced sailing them in their local waters. Not surprisingly, it was the College of Charleston's KESTREL team that took top honors with a blistering scoreline of five 1sts and a deuce for 7 pts total! Sitting 5 pts back to take the silver was another experienced J/105 team from Princeton Univ. sailing MAGIC. Their record was an enviable 3-2-1-2-2-2 for 12 pts. Rounding out the podium for the bronze medal was Olin College's SYNERGY with a 23 pts total.
A highlight of the regatta was the camaraderie, both on and off the water. The regatta hosted a lively social under the tent on Saturday, thanks to the generous hospitality of the Larchmont Yacht Club, creating an unforgettable experience for the participants.
The success of this event would not have been possible without the support of the Storm Trysail Foundation and the generous support from its partners who believe in the mission: ShopRite of Carteret, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Helly Hansen, Risk Strategies-Gowrie Group, Harken Derm, Carlsberg (Sheehan Co), McMichael Yacht Yards and Brokers, UK Sailmakers Northeast, Dimension-Polyant, and Gifted of Larchmont.
The IOR came to a close on Sunday with all smiles as teams were already looking ahead to future events and asking when 2025 sign-ups will open. As the world's largest intercollegiate sailing regatta, the 2024 IOR solidified its place as a "must-attend" regatta, offering college sailors an invaluable opportunity to sharpen their offshore racing skills and build lasting connections.
Are any college teams interested in 2025? Fill out this form here.
More STC Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta sailing results
More STC Intercollegiate Regatta sailing information