Ollie de Bono & Isabella Impalli

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Annual Florida trip kicks off our Spring 2020 season!

On January 25, the team headed down to Sarasota, Florida for our annual training trip. We sailed out of the Sarasota Sailing Squadron for the week. This trip represented the kick-off to our Spring 2020 season, which we are now more excited for than ever.

We had great weather in Florida with the temperature hovering around 65 degrees for most of the week with steady breeze and very little rain. We eased back into fleet racing with drills run by our Coach, Rob Dresser. Training proved beneficial for both our experienced competitors and newcomers. The talent on this trip was unparalleled: we consistently had 12 boats out on the water every day. This provided an excellent opportunity to productively practice team racing. For many of our freshmen sailors, this was their first experience with team racing. We balanced chalk-talks with time spent out on the water practicing maneuvers and boat handling skills. As much as everyone improved their sailing skills, the trip was ultimately a fun bonding experience for the team. In particular, it was a chance for the eight frosh to get to know the upperclassmen, some of whom were ‘Florida frosh,’ or first-timers on the annual trip themselves. 

The teamwork continued off the water too. Providing food for nearly 30 people was no easy task, and many members of our team stepped up to the challenge and found themselves improving their cooking skills as well as their sailing skills. Each day, the team shared an Outdoor Action styled picnic at the Squadron, while dinners proved an important time for the team to bond (and eat vegetables). After each day’s sailing, the team took the opportunity to head to the beach, where we swam in the sea and played football. 

At the end of the trip, we celebrated the last Florida trip of seniors Anne Elizabeth Sidamon-Eristoff (former Practice Captain), Adrienne Mandelbaum (Commodore Emeritus), and Charlie Flynn (Commodore Emeritus). We also recognized some other members of our team for their hard work and spirit throughout the trip:

• Most Improved Sailor: Calif Chen ’23
• Team Player: Jorge Zreik ’22
• Best Rookie: Myles McKnight ’23

Special thanks to Adrienne Mandelbaum ‘20 for organizing much of the logistics for our trip, keeping track of our finances, and ensuring our crowded house remained comfortable for everyone.

Overall, we had an amazing trip. We can’t wait for our season to start in a few short weeks!