This weekend, eight Midshipmen from the Varsity Offshore Sailing Team (VOST) of the United States Naval Academy, won the prestigiousJohn F. Kennedy Cup Regatta and - in doing so - became National Champions!
The event was hosted at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. , and is considered the Intercollegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) - OffShore National Championship. Head Coach Jahn Tihansky’ Midshipmen qualified for this premier event with a solid second place finish at the MacMillan Cup Regatta two weeks ago in Annapolis . The Kennedy Cup is a three day, 10-race series regatta against the best intercollegiate big boat squads in the nation. This year’s competitors (in order of finish) included: NAVY, California Maritime, SUNY Maritime, Coast Guard Academy, University of Michigan, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, St. Mary’s College, Maine Maritime and ARMY.
The eight winning Midshipman who represented NAVY were MIDN 1/C Dillon Rossiter (Skipper), MIDN 2/C Chris Paulson (XO/Helm), MIDN 2/C, Eric More (Main Trimmer), MIDN 2/C Phil Reynolds (Downwind Trimmer), MIDN 1/C Adam Albrecht (Bowman), MIDN 1/C Schyler Widman (Mastman), MIDN 1/C Ben Rowe (Upwind Trimmer) and MIDN 3/C Jon Driesslein (Pit Tactics).
The United States Naval Academy last won the Kennedy Cup in 2007. Their 2011 Kennedy Cup victory and National Championship now qualifies NAVY to sail internationally next Fall and compete in France at the “2012 Student Yachting World Cup” – as the best ICSA offshore sailing team in theUnited States of America .