Harvard wins Team Race Nationals

Harvard University Crimson are the 2025 College Open Team Race National Champions, held April 24-26 in in Cranston, RI. Sixteen teams competed using 2025 Zim CFJs and 420Es.

Three days of sailing in big wind and shifty conditions created opportunities for major leaderboard shake ups, but seeking redemption after a close second place finish to Roger Williams University in 2024, Harvard fought their way to the top of the leaderboard on the penultimate day of racing and held the lead through both the round of eight and the final four.

Second place finishers Yale University, and third place Roger Williams, each drew a win against the Crimson in the final four. With the Yale Bulldogs secured their second place finish, the final podium spot came down to the last meet up between Roger Williams and Stanford which the Roger Williams Hawks clinched in a 1-2-3 combination.

Tensions were high at each stage of elimination. Sail-offs were needed to decide the final two spots in the round of eight – which went to Tulane University and Boston College – and a sail-off between host school Brown University and Stanford University decided the last spot in the final four.

“I’m really proud of everyone on the team,” said Harvard Associate Head Coach, Bern Noack. “It’s called ‘team racing’ for a reason. That applies to the boats working as one on the water but beyond that all the heavy [wind] crews who sailed key races, all the teammates who made practices great all year and all of the athletic department and the Friends of Harvard sailing who support us.”

Harvard won with skippers Justin Callahan ’26, Mitchell Callahan ’26, and Robby Meek ’27 with crews Kennedy Leehealey ’26, Aidan Pesce ’26, Rosella Irfan ’27, and Alexandra Dorofeev ’25.

Final Results
1. Harvard University (20/5)
2. Yale University (19/6)
3. Roger Williams University (18/7)
4. Stanford University (14/11)
5. Brown University (13/9)
6. Boston College (12/10)
7. Dartmouth College (12/10)
8. Tulane University (8/14)
9. U.S. Naval Academy (8/7)
10. St. Mary’s College of Maryland (6/9)
11. Georgetown University (6/9)
12. Tufts University (6/9)
13. U.S. Coast Guard Academy (5/10)
14. College of Charleston (5/10)
15. Bowdoin College (2/13)
16. University of Michigan (0/15)

Details: https://nationals.collegesailing.org/events/2025-open-team-racing
Scores: https://scores.collegesailing.org/s25/icsa-open-team-race-national/

2024-25 Season

Fall National Championships:
November 9-10: Women’s and Open Singlehanded Nationals – St Petersburg, FL
November 15-17: Match Race Nationals – Oyster Bay, NY

Spring National Championships:
April 24-26: Open Team Race Nationals – Providence, RI
April 27-28: Women’s Team Race Nationals – Providence, RI
May 20-23: Women’s Dinghy Nationals – St Marys City, MD
May 27-30: Open Dinghy Nationals – St Marys City, MD