Sailors Runner-Up at MASSA Gold Championship

Reitzel (PC: Bruce Jeffrey)

Over the weekend, the sailing team equaled their highest finish at the Mid-Atlantic Scholastic Sailing Association (MASSA) Gold Fleet Championship by taking 2nd place overall in a field of 18 schools after two days of racing on the St. Mary’s River in Maryland.

On Saturday, a fickle wind allowed only four races to go off in each of the two divisions. The Division A crew of Gavin Hudson and Mairead Reitzel earned finishes of 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, and 5th in their four starts. The Division B tandem of Mauro Gonzalez and Joshua Henson took 2nd, 9th, 3rd, and 3rd. Their combined 30 points gave The Brook the lead after the first day of racing.

Sunday brought a light southerly that allowed just three more races to go off for each division. Hudson and Reitzel finished 6th, 10th, and 10th to close the event with 39 total points and a 6th place finish in Division A. Gonzalez and Henson took 3rd, 4th, and 6th to cap their weekend with 30 total points and a 2nd place spot in Division B. The combined divisional scores have the Bears 69 points, leaving them just behind Hampton Roads Academy (65) and ahead of perennial powers Southern Regional (72), Severn (88), Archbishop Spalding (89), and Christchurch (96).

The Bears’ performance earned them a berth in the Atlantic Coast Championships for the third time in team history. They head to the United States Merchant Marine Academy on Saturday to compete against the finest mariners on the East Coast.


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