Swampscott, MA — 22 sailors competed at the 2023 Waszp North American Championship this year. It was a “youth movement” this year, with the top three podium positions captured by Youth Age Group sailors, Thomas Sitzmann, Jackson Macaulay, and Nathan Duffar-Calder.
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Conner Blouin has been elevated to College of Charleston sailing head coach, as announced Wednesday morning by director of athletics Matt Roberts.
“We are thrilled to elevate Conner as the Head Coach of College of Charleston Sailing. His expertise on the water as a coach and a decorated international sailor himself, has earned an enormous amount of respect from our current student-athletes and the sailing community,” Roberts said. “He has made a positive mark on our program as an assistant coach the past five years and we look forward to returning to national prominence under his leadership.”
“I know I have big shoes to fill, becoming the next head sailing coach at College of Charleston,” Blouin said. “Nevertheless, given the history and legacy of the program it is an exciting and humbling opportunity.”
Blouin has been with the Cougar sailing program since July 2018 serving as an assistant coach helping lead Charleston to the 2019 Coed Dinghy National Championship and 2021 Women’s Dinghy National Championship. Charleston’s most recent national title in 2021 led to their ninth Fowle Trophy in program history, given to the best overall collegiate team.
Charleston has consistently been a top-tier sailing program under Blouin’s tutelage including top-15 ranks in both the Open and Women’s national rankings this last spring.
Prior to his time at Charleston, Blouin served as an assistant coach at St. Mary’s College of Maryland from 2015 through 2018 and served as the head coach of his alma mater Washington College prior to that.
During his first season at Washington, Blouin guided the program to a berth in the ICSA Co-Ed Dinghy National Championship Semifinals. His second campaign at the helm featured three regattas wins, including the Central Fall Qualifier, Salisbury Open, and the Jeremy A. Pinkerton Memorial. Blouin was a two-year team captain, three-time Most Valuable Sailor, and two-time All-America Honorable Mention skipper at Washington College, in addition to two All-MAISA selections and an Academic All-America First Team honoree in 2010. As a senior, Blouin became the second student-athlete in school history to win both the College’s Senior Athletic Award, given to the top senior athlete, and the Alfred Reddish Award, given to the senior male athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average. During his tenure at Washington College, Blouin sailed in the program’s first three ICSA Co-Ed Dinghy National Championship Semifinal regatta appearances, as well as the program’s first-ever appearance at the ICSA Co-Ed Dinghy National Championship regatta in 2009. He wrapped his collegiate sailing career with a school-record 12 career divisional first-place finishes. He led Washington College to a consistent top-20 ICSA Co-Ed National ranking, including a peak ranking of eighth in 2009. Blouin continued his competitive national and international sailing career after graduating from Washington College, highlighted by a second-place finish at the 2011 International Laser Class Association (ILCA) Grand Prix, Laser Radial. He also won a bronze medal at the 2011 CORK Olympic Classes Regatta, Laser Radial; placed fourth at the 2011 Laser Radial North Americans; and finished fifth at the 2010 Sunfish World Championship in Italy. Blouin was also the third-highest finishing American at the 2011 Laser Radial North Americans, which qualified him for the 2012 Laser Radial Open World Championship.
In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Blouin has coached high school and youth teams in Rhode Island, Chicago, Annapolis and Florida. His background also includes a stint as a marketing and sales associate at ZIm Sailing in Rhode Island, and time as a communications associate with US Sailing.
What they’re saying about Conner Blouin
“Conner has proven himself to be a winner as both a sailor and coach. While his accolades include being named a Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Finalist buoyed by a string of national and North American championships; Conner’s desire to help sailors be their absolute best is what makes him a special coach.” – Adam Werblow, Head Coach, St. Mary’s College of Maryland Sailing
“I have known and sailed against Connor since he was around 12 or 13. I’m excited for the CofC Sailing program to see Connor being named the new head coach! They need a focused, motivated, and talented leader like Connor at the helm. I have no doubt Connor will bring the excellence to our Cougars and we will see them at the top. As a sailor, I have been competing against Connor in the Sunfish and Waszp for the last 15- 20 years. I’ve watched him flourish over the past five years as he has won numerous national and North American championships. He is no doubt one of the best small boat sailors in North America and fresh off winning the US Pan American trials where he will be representing the US in Chili this Fall. On and off the water Connor is a class act, I’m excited for Connor and the Cougars!!” – David Loring, Charleston Community Sailing Vice President, 3x Sunfish World Champion and Laser North American Champion
“Conner Blouin is an outstanding coach whose recognition on the world stage will aid in the recruitment of talented youth sailors. His dedication to improving the bottom line of the team, ability to realize the full potential of naturally talented sailors, and the wealth of sailing knowledge that he possesses will all serve him greatly in his capacity at the head of this program. It’s a great day to be a Cougar!” – Jack Sutton ‘22
“We are thrilled to elevate Conner as the Head Coach of College of Charleston Sailing. His expertise on the water as a coach and a decorated international sailor himself, has earned an enormous amount of respect from our current student-athletes and the sailing community. He has made a positive mark on our program as an assistant coach the past five years and we look forward to returning to national prominence under his leadership.” – Matt Roberts, Director of Athletics
“Conner’s talents as a champion are well documented. His numerous accomplishments and National Championship wins are impressive…he is truly one of the most decorated sailors in the country today. But what makes Conner so special and unique is his ability to articulate what makes him the incredible sailor he is to those he is coaching. Not every champion has the skill, or passion, like Conner, to help guide their students and team to be their very best. Conner is also the epitome of a champion both off and on the water when it comes to sportsmanship, so he is also the perfect role model the team would love to follow. The C of C Sailing Team is so fortunate to have Conner as their head coach and have so much to look forward to!” – Greg Fisher, former College of Charleston Director of Sailing
ST MARY’s CITY, MD — St. Mary’s College of Maryland Director of Sailing Bill Ward announced on July 27th the addition of Bradley Adam to the St. Mary’s College of Maryland sailing team staff as the Assistant Varsity Sailing Coach. Coach Adam will begin his duties on August 15.
“Bradley’s expertise will be a tremendous addition to our staff and will benefit the Varsity Sailing Team and the entire Waterfront Program.” said Ward.
Bradley will serve as the Assistant Varsity Sailing Coach for the Open and Women’s Varsity Sailing Teams alongside Coaches Ward and Adam Werblow. Additionally, he will teach introductory sailing classes to the campus community and assist in Waterfront management.
“I am very excited to return to St. Mary’s as a coach. After graduating from here in 2018 the opportunity to return as a coach is amazing. I hope that I can help the team continue to compete for national championships and provide my experience as a former Seahawk to do so.” Coach Adam expressed.
The East Greenwich, Rhode Island native returns to St. Mary’s College after spending five years as the Head Varsity Sailing Coach for Washington College in Chestertown, MD (Aug. 2018 – June 2023). Coach Adam was able to lead the Washington College team to nine MAISA Open Conference Championship appearances during that time as well as re-developing a Women’s sailing team at the school.
During the summers, Coach Adam works as a private coach for high-level youth sailing in the Optimist and Club 420 classes.
As a student at St. Mary’s from Fall 2013 – Spring 2018 Coach Adam graduated with a double major in Economics and Public Policy while actively competing as a varsity sailing team member. Adam was able to finish off his collegiate career with a second place finish in B Division at ICSA Open National Championship Finals after winning B Division in the National Championship Semi-finals.
Audrey Foley
Ava Anderson
Rebecca SchillAnnie Sitzmann & Daphne WalshAva Gustafson & Kaya HancockJulia Stewart & Madilyn Anderson
By Airwaves Staff writer Amelia Robinson
Brant Beach, NJ, July 12th-14th, 2023 – These past few days some of the most talented female sailors in the US gathered at Brant Beach Yacht Club to participate in the Women’s C420 North American Championship. With winds blowing S/SSW/SW, clear skies, and temperatures averaging 85℉, the weather seemed perfect for a midsummer regatta.
According to one of the first place sailors, Samara Walshe (EYC/AYC/NB4T), “Trying to gauge the level of competition was tough because many of the girls sail with boy crews. Very few C420 boats on the regular summer circuit are girl pairs. Several of the top girl skippers have boy crews so they had to switch up their pairings for this event.”
Still, the regatta played out smoothly, as Walshe notes, “Day 1 the wind was a steady 16-20 knots, generating some fast races. The Race Committee set up a perfect course and never needed to adjust marks so we completed four races in less than 3 hours. We were super proud to finish with straight bullets. Day 2 was a slightly calmer day with 10-14 knots and three races. We sailed more conservatively and were the only boat I-flagged in R7 and had to work hard to claw our way back to 5th place.”
Even with their minor setback in the 7th race, Walshe and Lillie Foster had entered the regatta with an optimistic attitude, paying off as they dominated almost every race prior. Placing first in 4/7 races and second in two more, they secured the lead, finishing first with 6 points under Sophia Devling and Piper Blackband (Balboa Yacht Club/ Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club), who placed second with consistently low scores throughout the regatta.
The competition for third place was much tighter between Carly Kieding/Kate Joslin (NB4T | SBYC | SDYC) and Helena Borcherding/Michelle Kaneti (Belle Haven Club), with Kieding and Joslin securing the lead by only one point.
Overall the regatta was a huge success! Samara Walshe speaks for all sailors at this event in saying, “A huge thank you to BBYC for hosting such a successful regatta. We hope to return for many more regattas at this amazing venue!”
Women’s NA Champions Samara Walshe & Lilly Foster
By Staff writer Amelia Robinson
Belmont Harbor, Chicago, IL, July 7, 2023 – Despite several postponements and complications, this past weekend the C420 class was able to show out for an incredible display of skill and expertise.
With varying winds favoring N/NW/W and the choppy conditions of Lake Michigan, a few boats struggled to navigate the rough waters. However, these experienced sailors persevered and managed to give an impressive performance with intense competition throughout the entire weekend.
As spectators looked across the gorgeous view at the Chicago Yacht Club, they could see Freddie Parkin and Asher Beck (Riverside) dominating the regatta, placing first in 5/7 races, allowing them to place first overall with a lead of 8 points.
Freddie Parkin and Asher Beck
The battle for second place was much closer between Richard Sykes/Annie Sitzmann (NB4T) and Morgan Pinckney/Piper Blackband (NB4T, BCYC, NHYC, BYC). However, an 8th place finish in the second race set Pinckney/Blackband back enough for Sykes/Sitzmann to triumph in the end with a 3-point lead, leading Pickney/Blackband to claim a third-place finish.
