Sailing Headed to Nationals!

OSTERVILLE — Cape Cod Academy advanced to the National Team Racing sailing championship as a result of its finish in this weekend's Mark Trophy New England Regatta at Wianno Yacht Club.

CCA tied for first in the two-day event with St. George's of Newport, Rhode Island. St. George's claimed the trophy by virtue of the head-to-head tie-breaker, as it won two of three races against the Seahawks.

The nationals are in Houston Saturday and Sunday. CCA will fly out Friday morning and arrive in time for a practice sail that afternoon.

CCA sophomore Carter Pemberton and seniors Lilly McGrath and Elizabeth Pemberton skippered for the Seahawks. Nellie Stidham, John Wetzel, Truman Rountree, Morgan Farber were crew.

St. George's and CCA finished 12-5 for the weekend. Portsmouth Abbey was third at 11-6 and The Hotchkiss School 8-9.

Racing on Saturday but not qualifying for Sunday's Final Four were Manchester Essex, Martha's Vineyard, Milton Academy and The Brunswick School.

"It was impressive the way they sailed," CCA coach Brent Jansen said of his team. "It's a great achievement for our school. "We didn't know what to expect this year. We had to re-adjust after losing all those seniors last year."

CCA went to Team Racing Nationals last year in St. Petersburg, Fla. The third-year program also qualified for Fleet Racing Nationals twice, last year in Chicago, where it finished second, and two years ago in Seattle.