The North North Regatta gave the Club sailing team a finish to build a program on.
After battling the wind and snow in their last regatta at the Columbia Gorge, the North North Regatta in Seattle provided the Ducks with an opportunity to sail their new boats and test the team’s camaraderie. The regatta was held at Sand Point on Lake Washington .
It was there that the Ducks placed second overall — their best finish ever.
“It’s just inconceivable how long and hard we have worked for something like this,” sailing coordinator George Yioulos said.
The Ducks finished 20 points behind first place Washington after sailing in 10 races in two days of competition.
Yioulos attributed the team’s second-place finish to first-year skipper Rob Dubuc. Dubuc sailed with Maria Wong in one of the team’s new boats.
“Rob put on a clinic this weekend,” Yioulos said. “Everyone was asking me where I found him because he was literally schooling everyone.”
Oregon’s other boat was sailed by Yioulos and Jenny Dormer. Both boats’ scores were totaled together at the end of the regatta. Oregon’s score beat nine other boats and three other schools including Portland State, Western Washington and University of British Columbia.
“We worked extra hard to prepare mentally,” Yioulos said. “Sailing is just as much of a mental battle as it is a physical battle, especially in the demanding conditions. We did tremendously well in both of these aspects.”
The sailing team is not only excited about their performance in Seattle, however. It is also excited to test its skills in the upcoming months.
“We are definitely happy with how this weekend turned out,” Dubuc said. “We are psyched to be competing with the top guys in the district.”
Until then, the Ducks will continue to practice three days a week, but not at their usual spot. Fern Ridge, the lake the team practiced on during the fall, has been drained. The team’s new training spot as of now is unknown.
For now, the team will enjoy their best finish ever and use the North North Regatta as a stepping stone to bigger and better things.
“Hopefully after this regatta we can look to compete for more top finishes in the future,” Dubuc said.

A Victory
Oregon Club soccer played its first and only home game of the season this past Saturday against Portland.
The Ducks recorded their fourth straight shutout and came away with a 2-0 win against the Pilots. Emily McLain and Natasha Crook each had a goal apiece and Annie Loney assisted on both goals.
The Ducks take on Oregon State in Corvallis on Sunday and look to improve their record to 4-1-1 overall.