NEW LONDON, Conn. -- The Yale women's sailing team closed out the spring season in dominant fashion, capturing the NEISA Women's Fleet Race Championship (Reed Trophy) at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. With the conference title, the Bulldogs secured an automatic berth to the Women's Fleet Racing National Championship, set for May 15–18 at the University of South Florida.
Racing on the Thames River presented a wide range of conditions over the weekend. Saturday began with a 5–6 knot northeast breeze paired with a strong crosscurrent before shifting southwest and building slightly to 5–9 knots later in the day. Sunday brought even greater variability, starting with light northerly winds that steadily increased throughout the afternoon, with gusts reaching up to 30 knots.
Yale delivered a dominant performance across both divisions. In A division, Carly Kieding skippered with crews Elle Sykes and Ella Benedetto to a first-place finish. In B division, Audrey Foley, Elle Sykes, and Carmen Berg combined efforts, with Foley and Sykes sharing skipper duties and Berg crewing, also securing first place. The Bulldogs' sweep of both divisions sealed the team title.
The coed team also competed in fleet racing action at the NEISA Open Fleet Race Championship (Coast Guard Alumni Bowl), hosted by Brown. Saturday featured shifty conditions with winds ranging from 6–10 knots out of the north and east-northeast before tapering off. Sunday saw continued shifts, with winds moving from the south to the northeast and ranging from 8–15 knots throughout the day.
Morgan Pinckney, sailing with crew Annabel Woodworth, placed fifth in A division, while Dorothy Mendelblatt, alongside crews Julia Miller and Maren Bradley, finished fourth in B division. The Bulldogs placed fourth overall in the regatta.
The women's team enters the postseason with strong momentum, having also secured an automatic bid to the Women's Team Racing National Championship with their conference title last weekend. Yale will compete for a national title April 26–27 at Tulane.
For more information, including live scores and streaming coverage, visit: https://nationals.collegesailing.org/events/2026-womens-team-racing
