TAMPA, Fla. – The waters near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge are about to get crowded as the University of South Florida prepares to host the ICSA Women’s Fleet Racing National Championship. Starting Friday, May 15, and running through May 18, 36 of the best collegiate teams from across the country will gather at SkyBeach Resort in St. Petersburg to compete for the national title.
The four-day event kicks off with semifinals on Friday and Saturday, followed by the finals on Sunday and Monday. Races are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. each day, provided the wind conditions cooperate.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to showcase the best collegiate sailors in the nation competing in the shadow of the Skyway Bridge on beautiful Tampa Bay,” said USF head coach Allison Jolly. “SkyBeach Resort will provide an excellent viewing point to watch the action and we encourage fans to come out, support the Bulls and see some superb collegiate sailing. Our team is prepared and excited to compete for a national championship on our home waters.”
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The Bulls enter the competition with momentum after a strong spring season that included five top-two finishes. The team secured its automatic bid after placing second in the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association (SAISA) Championships held in April. Last year, USF finished 17th in the national standings.
Stanford University arrives as the defending champion and the No. 1 seed. Rounding out the top five favorites are Yale, Brown, Harvard, and Dartmouth.
The USF lineup for the championship features Kailey Warrior and Madison Hamai in the A Division, while Ghislaine van Empel and Cate Brennan will compete in the B Division. Grace Jones, Melissa Janes, Esme Pray, and Dita Carlsen will serve as alternates.
Spectators can watch the races directly from SkyBeach Resort, which offers viewing areas from the beach, two pools, and a two-story bar. The event will conclude with an awards ceremony on Monday evening at the resort.
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