News
Grosse Pointe North Takes
High School Invitational Title
April 12, 2008
NOR | RESULTS
Eighteen teams representing a record turnout of twelve Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin high schools traveled to compete in the fourth annual High School Invitational Regatta hosted by Chicago Yacht Club's Belmont Station. With steady rain and 38 degree air temperatures, the teams sailed out of the harbor to the open waters of Lake Michigan. Principal Race Officer (PRO) Dick Schweers established a windward leeward course to take advantage of the fresh westerly winds at 8 to 12 knots.

Over the course of the first two rotations, winds oscillated 15 degrees between west/northwest. Grosse Pointe North (GPN) 1's Brady Savage and Katie Bill skillfully took advantage of the shifts on their way to an average finish of third, including a win and two seconds. They led A Division at lunch followed by New Trier (NT) 3's Drew Shea and Mac Sparks who also started quickly, winning two of four races. Meanwhile, Grosse Pointe South (GPS) 1's Ian Hollerbach and Sarah Somes were close behind in third place. GPN 2's Chris Bill and Karinne Marcolini won the remaining morning race.

In the B Division, girl skippers ruled the course as GPS1's Brooke Lyon and crew Spencer Colpaert leveraged a strong start in race one to lead wire to wire. GPN1's Kelly Seago and Scott Stevens started slowly in race one, but recovered with two race wins and a fourth, taking the Division lead entering the lunch hour. One point behind them was the Loyola 1 team of Alex Post and Marcus Jackson who won the third race.

Following lunch, the wind had shifted to starboard and increased to 15 to 20 knots from the Northeast. New Trier 1, Grosse Pointe North 1, and Lake Forest Academy came out strong with a combination of race wins and strong finishes in the third rotation.

As the surf grew in height, several of the morning's lighter B Division leaders went for swims during their third rotation. GPN3's Michael and Ryan Seago found these conditions more to their liking, winning the first race despite the three foot waves. Loyola 2's Tommy Holmberg (fresh from morning ACTs) and crew Chris Lynch placed second. Due to the high winds, tall waves, and cold temperatures, the race committee moved the course inside the protected waters of Belmont Harbor. Here GPN2's Will Cry and Eric Pomber successfully dodged the "mooring cans" and won the final race of the third rotation followed closely by GPN 3 as they crossed the downwind finish line.

Both A and B divisions made one more rotation inside the harbor before closing out the day. In A Division, Lake Forest's Will Haeger/Lindsey Taylor and NT 1's Hudson/Yost won the final two races in very tight finishes. B Division's final races were both won by Loyola 2's Holmberg / Lynch.
Congratulations to the 2008 High School Invitational Champions, Grosse Pointe North 1 lead by skippers Brady Savage and Kelly Seago with crews Katie Bill and Scott Stevens, respectively.

In A Division, GPN 1's Brady Savage and Katie Bill (34) took first place in a tie break over NT 1's Stephanie Hudson and Gardner Yost (34). They were followed by GPS 1's Ian Hollerbach and Sarah Somes (37).
B Division was won by GPN 2's Will Cry and Eric Pomber, followed by GPN 3's Michael and Ryan Seago (36), and Loyola 1's Alex Post and Marcus Jackson (42) who won the tie break with GPN 1's Kelly Seago and Scott Stevens.

Thanks regatta chair Scott Diamond and his Chicago Yacht Club volunteers including PRO Dick Schweers, his race committee consisting of Chris Mitchell and Brendan Hagman, and safety boat drivers Mike Leslie, Mark Mitchell, and Nicole Rothstein.