WINTER RECAP
Over winter break, many sailors spent their time off traveling somewhere new! Katherine explored Copenhagen, Cal ('26) returned from a semester in Paris, Caitlin ('28) hiked in Puerto Rico, Phoebe ('28) spent NYE in the Czech Republic, Ida ('29) visited friends in Spain, and Penelope ('28) set off for a co-op in Chicago!
Back home, ripping winds passed over the frozen lakes, perfect for iceboating. Steve Orlebeck kindly took sailors Erin McDonagh ('28) and Catherine Dickson ('28) out iceboating on Lake Green. There, they shot off on thin skates, powered by the winter gusts. It's always great to connect with expert sailors in the area!
Some sailors left the ice and headed south to sail in warm waters. Seamus Hendrickson ('26) went to Florida and competed in the Melges Winter Series M15 2 event with his sister. Alongside Seamus, Quinn Kaiser ('26) , Doug Wake (Alumnus), and Kerstin Hyer (Alumna) competed in the Melges M15 Winter Series.
Sailors who stayed in Madison passed the time working, sledding, skating, baking, and most importantly, spending time with their friends. Overall, the break was a great time for sailors to rest and prepare for the coming spring season.
SPRING REGATTA SCHEDULE
SCOR @ College of Charleston 2/14 - 2/15
Nelson Roltsch Team Race @ Tulane 2/28 - 3/1
CGA J70 Qualifier @ CGA 3/21 - 3/22
Big 10 Team Race @ Michigan 3/21 - 3/22
MCSA Women's Team and Fleet Race Qualifier @ Michigan 4/3 - 4/5
MCSA Open Team and Fleet Race Qualifier @ Wisco 4/10 - 4/12
NU Spring @ NYU 4/18 - 4/19
BDC @ MIT 4/18
George Morris @ BU 4/19
Open Team Race Nationals @ Tulane 4/23 - 4/25
Women's Team Race Nationals @ Tulane 4/26 - 4/27
Women's Fleet Race Nationals @ USF 5/15 - 5/18
Open Fleet Race Nationals @ USF 5/19 - 5/22
SKI TRIP
At the start of the new year, Wisco sailors journeyed west for a ski trip. Starting in Utah, sailors raced down the slopes with their teammates and bonded over long chats up the ski lift. After long and tiring days out on the slopes, they warmed up by the fireside and formed lasting memories with their teammates. Over the course of two weeks, the badgers visited four ski resorts: Brighton UT, Solitude Mountain UT, Snowbird UT, and Steamboat CO.
Finn Tait ('26) planned the whole trip, as he did last year, and we are so grateful for his contribution. Go Go Finn!
MCSA MIDWINTERS
We are so fortunate to have had the opportunity to host this year's MCSA midwinter's conference and banquet!
Among the awards given out at the banquet, Penelope Whiteside ('28) took home both the All Conference Women's Skipper and All Conference Open Skipper award! Paige Kurtenbach ('27) took home the All Conference Crew award, and both Carter Harms ('27) and Jenna Princing ('28) earned honorable mentions that night.
Additionally, the badgers won the Open Fleet Race Qualifier, the Women's Team Race Qualifier, and the Women's Fleet Race Qualifier awards. We are so proud of all of our sailors!
SAILOR OF THE MONTH
Seamus Hendrickson
Our sailor of the month is Seamus Hendrickson! Seamus is a Senior Skipper from Minneapolis, MN, majoring in Mechanical Engineering.
Seamus grew up sailing, noting that "my parents put me on a boat before I could even walk and I fell in love with it ever since." He trained at Wayzata Sailing, a place many wisco sailors can trace their roots to. He competed for the Orono High School sailing team, and post graduation, became the head coach for their Opti learning program. Seamus states, "I'll keep sailing for my entire life and love sharing the sport with as many people as possible."
Over winter break, he spent most of his time down in Florida enjoying the warm sunny weather, noting "I spent way too long staring at the sun on the beach and scorching my skin at the pool." Alongside other Wisco sailors, he sailed in the Melges Winter Series M15 2 event with his sister. The wind was powerful that day, and he had a great time! After returning home from Florida, he went with his girlfriend Sydney out to Marquette, Michigan, for a weekend adventure. There, they lived the old fashioned way: No electricity, lots of candles, and surrounded by nature.
The past fall was Seamus' last season of eligibility, so he made it count. In addition to making the most out of his practices, he raced in Cary Price and the MCSA Match Race Qualifier. He also competed in two offshore regattas, GLIOR and IOR. He notes that IOR, although far, was his favorite regatta and that he pushed himself and performed well. This summer, he is excited to be moving to Chicago to work at Keyance as a product expert for their microscope line. We are so proud of Seamus and his dedication to this team, and wish him well after his graduation this spring.
Go Go Seamus!
ENDOWMENT
Our Endowment fund is now LIVE on our website. As a club-run team, we have to organize much of the funds ourselves, and with your help, we aim to ensure the success of the Wisconsin Sailing Team for years to come. Linked below is the donation link!