National Invitational Tournament

After significant wind shifts the 2025 National Invitational Tournament at Norfolk Yacht and Country Club started their races at 9:54 AM. Winds ranging from 10 to 17 mph came from the west-southwest with wind gusts up to 31 mph. Sailors experience beautiful, sunny skies with temperatures in the high eighties. Winds built throughout the morning becoming unsailable for team racing. After 22 races, the course moved to the east side of the Hampton Blvd. Bridge to find better sailing conditions. Coaches were put on the water and sailors were ferried to the site for rotating. By 4:14 PM gusts continued and conditions became unsalable in the Lee of the bridge and sailors were sent in.

The day ended having completed all 45 races which represented one full round robin. Green Farms Academy held first place with a 9/0 record, followed by Norfolk Academy with a 6/3 record. There was a 5 way tie for third with Severna Park, Arrowhead, Hampton Roads Academy, Stony Brook, and Barrington all with a 5/4 record.

On Sunday, sailors reported at 8AM with hopes of getting on the water to knock out a resail and sail-offs only to find no wind. Shortly before 10AM, the wind filled in and we were able to resail race 21 resulting in a win for Norfolk Academy. The 5 way tie for third stood, and a 5 team sail-off round was sailed with a number of course adjustments as moderate winds vacillated back and forth between west and SSW. Winds settled to westerly at 10-15 mph with gusts in the mid teens and we were able to complete a top 6/bottom 4 round with a slight extension to the no start after time.

Green Farms Academy won the regatta and the Founders Trophy with an impressive 13/1 record. They were followed by Norfolk Academy in second place with 10 wins and 4 losses. Hampton Roads Academy won the tie breaker for third over Stony Brook with 8 wins and 4 losses.

Thanks are due to the many people who made the event a success. Ron McLean put in numerous hours going over boats for the event along with the resident high school teams. Thanks goes to ODU and Christchurch School, and a group of individuals who lent us motor boats. Greatest thanks goes to Parker Purrington and Chris Robertson for serving as PRO and to Carter Little for serving as CHUMP along with the rest of the race committee and mark boats.

Attending teams deserve mention for their consistent patience and grace as we worked through the weather related kinks. This was a great group of sailors and coaches.