On Saturday May 7th, 2022 the Tommie Cup was hosted by the University of St. Thomas Sailing Team. Over the weekend the team hosted its regatta out of Wayzata's sailing pavilion.
The team's founder and captain, Rachel Bartel, decided to resurrect tradition because "most schools host a regatta, this is our chance to do that. Historically, the U of M and St. Thomas both had regattas. It also gives us a chance to get more sailors on our home lake, and bringing it back will hopefully keep the tradition alive". With the help of race officials Greg Bittle, Jim Bartel, Kent Osman and Dan Johnson, as well as the support of team members and volunteers, the regatta was successful.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison finished in first place overall, the St. Thomas sailing team in second, and Grand Valley State University in third.
The UST team got four boats and nine sailors on the water for the event; our biggest team at a regatta yet. Two boats capsized, both with UST teams. These four sailors were attending their first MCSA regatta, and their recoveries were amazing. One team, with skipper Nisha Kimber and crew Caleb Loomis, was over for at least five minutes in the harsh May waters. "The boat sort of fell on me and pushed me down into the water," said Kimber, "I was [upset with] myself for letting it happen." However, Kimber and Loomis recovered well. She told me it was her crew, Loomis, who righted the capsized boat after a few tries. "After...taking a break, we still went out for two more races...it was an exhilarating experience." For a first regatta? No doubt. Kimber continued, "I was honored to be a skipper in my first ever regatta...[it] gave me a chance to put everything I learned to the test." Through everything, they never lost their spirit, eager to sail no matter the obstacle. Kimber and Loomis did sail the last two races, finishing the regatta and filled with pride at what they'd been through, though, soaking wet.
The team looks forward to hosting the regatta again this coming spring, but currently sets its signs on expanding this fall. Hoping to welcome new sailors and improve recruitment, the USTST has room to grow.
This fall, hard practices, and fun team-building events will keep us occupied. However, we're also hoping to run our CrowdFunder fundraiser again through the University in order to help students with purchases of gear and fees paid to Wayzata Sailing. If successful, our spring season will be more than prosperous, with St. Thomas sailing on the rise.
With plenty of challenges ahead, we look forward to seeing you all soon to tell you about our accomplishments and future endeavors.
Stay updated with our upcoming adventures by following @ustsailing on Instagram, by liking UST Sailing on Facebook, and by joining our Facebook "Supporters" group.