NEISA News

Harvard University captured the 2025 College Sailing Match Race National Championship, capping the fall season in another weekend of light-air racing. The Crimson went undefeated to secure the title.

“Winning College Sailing Match Race Nationals was a rewarding conclusion to a successful fall season after winning [Open] ACCs and the NEISA Fall Championship,” said Justin Callahan ’26. “This team means everything to me. Having my twin brother, Mitchell, by my side made the victory all the more meaningful, along with Kate and Harrison, who competed with me in Poland this summer where we earned bronze for the USA at the World Championship.”

Results

Here are your NEISA Sailors of the Week from the singlehanded national championships this past weekend. Congratulations to the winners and to all of our NEISA athletes who represented their teams and the conference at the championships.

Week 9 Open: Harvard University’s Robby Meek ’27

Week 9 Women's: Brown University’s Katharine Doble ’26

A weekend defined by patience and light‑air mastery produced standout performances across the fleet as Cornell’s Gilda Dondona ’28 captured the women’s title and Harvard’s Robby Meek ’27 secured the open championship at the College Sailing Singlehanded National Championships.

Athletes arrived and rigged in 8–13 knots from the west-northwest, but the breeze shifted right and faded, leaving the first race to conclude in very light air. Harvard opened strong with wins from Meek and defending champion Sophia Montgomery ’25. Meek earned an automatic berth this year after winning The Monotype Trophy: NEISA Open Singlehanded Championship, taking the title by 27 points over 11 races.

The selections have been made for the College Sailing Fall National Championships. The Open and Women’s Singlehanded National Championships will be hosted by Old Dominion University on November 8-9, 2025. The College Sailing Open Match Race National Championship will be hosted by The Saint Petersburg Yacht Club on November 15-16, 2025.

Congratulations to the Sailors of the Week, Brown University Bears sailors Tyler Lamm ’28 and Brianna Ross ’26 (OPEN), and Harvard Crimson trio of Kate Danielson ’28, JJ Drummond ’27 and Christina Chen ’27 (WOMEN).

Congratulations to the Sailors of the Week, Harvard University Crimson Justin Callahan '26 and Jacob Posner '29 (OPEN), and Harvard University Crimson sailors Sophia Montgomery ’25 and Christina Chen ’27 (WOMEN).

Congratulations to the Sailors of the Week, Yale University Morgan Pinckney ’27 and Annabel Woodworth ’28 (OPEN), and Eva Ermlich ’26 and Nathalie Caudron from Northeastern University (WOMEN).

Congratulations to the Sailors of the Week, Harvard Sailors, Justin Callahan ‘26, Jacob Posner ‘29 and Aidan Pesce ’26 (OPEN), and Carly Kieding ’29 and Sarah Moeder ’26 from the Yale Bulldogs (WOMEN).

The 2024-2025 ICSA All-Academic team has been reviewed and selected. This year, an impressive number of student athletes have been named to the team. The ICSA All-Academic Sailing Team recognizes Juniors and Seniors who have participated as a competitor or alternate in seven regattas (2024-2025) and have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

The stage is set for the ICSA Women’s and Open Fleet Race National Championships, which will take place May 20-23 and May 27-30 at St. Mary’s College of Maryland in St. Mary’s City, Maryland. 36 teams from across the country will descend on the St. Mary’s River for each championship for four epic days of racing each. 

Both Women’s Nationals and Open Nationals see the initial 36 teams selected split into two fleets, the Eastern and Western Semifinals. Over two days of semifinal competition, teams will battle to be one of the top nine in each semifinal. The top nine teams move to the finals, where they compete for the title of Fleet Race National Champion.