KINGS POINT, N.Y.—The Hobart and William Smith sailing team opened the 2026-27 season with three regattas hosted by the Merchant Marine Academy this past weekend, Sept. 12-13. First-year Nicholas Crull highlighted the weekend for HWS, finishing first at the ILCA North. In total, HWS had four sailors finish in the top half of the field and secure a spot at the Carl Van Duyne MAISA Singlehanded Championship.
 
In addition, HWS competed at the Kings Point Open Dinghy and the KP Women's Invite.
 
ILCA NORTH

• Crull, senior Jack Carter, senior TJ Allison and junior Dante Garcia all finished in the top nine, earning a spot at the MAISA Singlehanded Championship in Annapolis, Maryland, later this month.
• In his collegiate debut, Crull finished first, compiling 20 points on the weekend. He won three races and was in the top five in all eight races.
• Carter was sixth overall. He had 54 points on the weekend. He placed fifth in the fifth race and was in the top 10 in seven of the eight races. Carter will be making his fourth appearance at the Carl Van Duyne.
• Allison and Garcia tied for eighth with 69 points each. Allison was awarded eighth place thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker. He was in the top 10 five times.
• Allison and Garcia are making their second and third trips to the conference championship regatta, respectively.

 
KP OPEN DINGHY

• HWS finished fourth out of nine teams at the KP Open Dinghy. They finished the weekend with 149 points.
• With only nine teams, the regatta was sailed as one division.
• Seniors JJ Klempen and Stella Kim were eighth with 74 points. They crossed the line in the top 10 six times, including a fourth-place finish in the ninth race.
• Junior James Kopack and sophomore Jamie McGuffee were ninth with 75 points. They crossed the line in the top-10 seven times, including a second place finish in race four.
• Fordham won the regatta with 88 points.

KP WOMEN'S INVITE

• Heron sailors finished sixth out of nine teams. William Smith finished the weekend with 176 points.
• Like the Open Dinghy, with only nine teams, the regatta was sailed as one division.
• Sophomores Moira Padilla Velasquez and Molly Pile were ninth with 82 points. They were in the top 10 five times.
• Sophomore Keelyn Brink and senior Bennett O'Keefe were 10th with 94 points. They combined for four top-10 finishes.
• Fordham won the regatta with 81 points.

 
UP NEXT
The Sailing team will be back in action next weekend, Sept. 19-20, for three regattas. HWS will head to Ithaca, New York, for two races, the Boehringer Invitational and the Susan Rogers Invitational. William Smith will also head to Annapolis, Maryland, for the Faye Bennet Trophy, the MAISA Women's Singlehanded Championships.