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University of Wisconsin Madison and
UW Sailing Team to Host
2010 ICSA Collegiate Nationals
by Michelle Czarnecki
 For the first time since 1997, the
University of Wisconsin-Madison
has been chosen to host the 2010 ICSA
Collegiate Nationals, the premier event
in collegiate racing. During a ten-day
period from May 25th to June 3rd,
2010, the Hoofer Sailing Club in partnership
with the UW Sailing Team and
the Memorial Union will accommodate
almost 400 students from universities
all across the country. This event will
comprise of the three separate national
champion competitions: Women's,
Team Racing, and Co-eds. All events
are determined by racing club 420s.
As well as hosting the collegiate
nationals, the UW Sailing team will be
hosting the 2010 ICSAAlumni Regatta,
during which sailors past their college
years are invited to come and compete.
Two divisions, one in the Badger Tech
and one in the Badger Sloop will be
offered, allowing sailors to choose to
sail by themselves (the Badger Tech) or
to sail with a group of friends (the
Badger Sloop). Honorary decade chairs
have been chosen to promote the event
among the sailors of their generation.
After the regatta, there will be a banquet
held to honor all collegiate sailing
alumni.
As a club program operating from
a Midwestern location, the UW Sailing
team sails competitively against varsity-
level programs from schools such as
St. Mary's, Hobart & Smith, and Yale.
Even with such challenging competitors
and no permanent coaching staff,
the UW Sailing team attracts some of
the top inland sailors from the Midwest
to its team and consistently performs
well in challenging regattas.
Though the UW Sailing team is
completely student-run, it relies much
upon support from its alumni and surrounding
Midwest sailing clubs. During
recent fundraising for nationals, the
Inland Lake Yachting Association
(ILYA) and its participant yacht clubs
not only raised money for new boats,
but will be actively involved in the success
of nationals by letting the UW
Sailing team use some of their motorboats
and other regatta equipment.
Many of the sailors on the team teach
sailing at their home lakes during the
summer and participate in inland lake
racing themselves. These sailors adapt
incredibly well to new conditions they
experience, such as currents, sea breezes, and waves. One
case in point would be the fall qualification of the UW Sailing
team for Sloop Nationals in a boat none of the sailors had ever
handled before, in conditions requiring manipulation of currents.
This past Thanksgiving, the UW Sailing team won the
Timme Angsten Memorial Regatta held annually at the
Chicago Yacht Club for the second year in a row. Before this,
the UW Sailing team had not won since 1953.
Some of our notable alumni include Peter Harken, Peter
Barrett, who has an Olympic gold (1968) and silver (1964),
and Art Mitchell. Several team sailors have been named sailing
All-Americans, most recently Anna Bargren and Kevin
Campbell.
With such a great tradition behind us, and with all the
support we have received, the UW Sailing team looks forward
to hosting a spectacular event. Not only will the ICSA 2010
Collegiate Nationals be a wonderful opportunity to showcase
the best of the Midwest, it will be a time to recognize and
thank the people who got us there.
Michelle Czarnecki, a Wisconsin native, is a sophomore
on the University of Wisconsin's sailing team.
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