By Kate Somers, risingT
Photos by Stephen R Cloutier @BlockIslandSteve
Perfect conditions prevailed as the IOR welcomed several new teams to this fall classic. The Middlebury Panthers, skippered by Penelope Weeks, sailed Valiant to 9th in the J/105 one-design class. © Stephen R Cloutier
The 2024 Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta presented by ShopRite of Carteret (IOR), co-hosted by Storm Trysail Club and Larchmont Yacht Club in Larchmont, NY, concluded October 13 after two days of intense racing on Long Island Sound. The event saw participation by an impressive 326 sailors representing forty-one schools, spanning nineteen U.S. states and three Canadian provinces. With six divisions competing, each completed six or seven races, showcasing the talent and spirit of college sailors from across North America.
Saturday delivered perfect racing conditions, with sunny skies and a steady breeze of 8-12 knots. All classes completed four windward-leeward races over a 5-nautical mile course, making the most of the favorable weather. Sunday started off with overcast skies, but the clouds soon parted, allowing for an early start and two additional races to round out the weekend. Sailors enjoyed solid competition across both days, thanks to the great weather and race management.
Webb Institute posted a perfect 1-1-1-1-1-1 scoreline to claim the Paul Hoffman Trophy. © Stephen R Cloutier
The prestigious Paul Hoffman Trophy, awarded to the overall winner with the highest winning percentage, went to Webb Institute’s modified J/105 Sleeper, skippered by Rayne Duff. Duff credited their victory to “consistently good starts, a team that works great together, and a fun-focused attitude.” Webb Institute is known for its strong offshore program, and the Clippers delivered a stellar performance throughout the event, not losing a single race.
The IOR is a monumental undertaking, relying on the generous donation of boats and time from owners and club members who offer college sailors a unique opportunity to experience offshore racing. While some schools, like Webb, have dedicated offshore teams, many participating schools only sail keelboats once a year, with a primary focus on dinghy sailing. Despite this, teams traveled from as far as Texas A&M in Galveston, the University of Wisconsin, and Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia to compete in this annual event.
The College of Charleston Cougars notched five bullets aboard Kestrel to top the J/105s and score the Puff Trophy. © Stephen R Cloutier
Yet despite the logistics, this popular event continues to grow, and organizers were thrilled to welcome new schools this year: Clemson University, Middlebury College, Olin College of Engineering, Rutgers University, Texas A&M, the University of New Hampshire, and the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Sailing the Swan 42 Zammermoos, the Michigan Wolverines put the bite on their service academy rivals to take PHRF-Zero by an 8-point margin. © Stephen R Cloutier
The Puff Trophy, awarded to the team with the second-highest winning percentage, went to the College of Charleston Cougars for their outstanding performance in the J/105 Kestrel, owned by CofC alum Chuck McCarthy. Skipper Luke Tougas reflected on the weekend, sharing, “The IOR is an event that we look forward to every year because of the many opportunities it provides. This event for us really came down to how bad we wanted it.” Tougas credited the team’s success to crew work and teamwork, explaining, “It’s easy to drive the boat in the right direction, but it’s not easy to keep the sails in the perfect spots at all times.” He also expressed gratitude to the McCarthy family for providing the team with a J/105 and thanked their safety officer, Ned Goss, for keeping the team motivated with his mantra, “Firetrucks don’t stop at red lights!”
The U.S. Coast Guard Academy Bears, aboard their Leadership 44 Stormy Petrel, won four races on their way to winning PHRF-Medium with skipper Parker O’Sullivan at the helm. © Stephen R Cloutier
The University of Michigan’s Swan 42 Zammermoos, skippered by River Severia, took first place in the PHRF Time on Time division. Severia highlighted the importance of communication and teamwork, noting, “These are very large boats with lots of power, so as a team we needed to really talk to one another about what we were doing and when. With this mindset, we really honed in on the boat’s speed and tactics all weekend. The IOR is truly a unique opportunity for collegiate sailors to be out on the racecourse sailing against one another on keelboats.”
Sailing Nordlys in another bruinic triumph, skipper Keller Morrison and the Brown team put a bearhug on their opponents in the 5-boat J/109 class, winning by a single point. © Stephen R Cloutier
A highlight of every IOR is the camaraderie, both on and off the water, including lively social under the tent at Larchmont Yacht Club on Saturday.
The success of this event would not have been possible without the support of the Storm Trysail Foundation and the generous support from its partners who believe in the mission: Title Sponsor ShopRite of Carteret, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Helly Hansen, Risk Strategies-Gowrie Group, Harken Derm, Carlsberg (Sheehan Co), McMichael Yacht Yards and Brokers, UK Sailmakers Northeast, Dimension-Polyant, and Gifted of Larchmont.
The University of North Carolina Wilmington Seahawks, skippered by Sam Woodley, had a blast at their first IOR aboard Shakedown. © Stephen R Cloutier
Terrific images @BlockIslandSteve can be found at stormtrysail.org/ior-2024-photos. Results are posted at yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=16938.
Interested in competing in 2025? Fill out this form: stormtrysail.org/ior-2025-interest/. ■
