Complete Results

ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. -- Capping the first ever back-to-back national championship appearances, the Christopher Newport sailing program finished the 2025 ICSA Women's Fleet Race Western Semifinals in 16th place out of 18 teams. The Captains scored 244 points over two days and edged out the University of Vermont by two points for their final position. 

The top nine teams advance to the ICSA Women's Fleet Race National Championship being held over the next two days at St. Mary's City, Md. Among the nine qualifiers were the semifinals winner from Yale University with 57 points. The top nine teams from the Eastern Semifinals will also compete for the national title. 

The first day of the championship event saw limited action as teams were only able to complete three races in A division and two in B division racing. On day two, the fleet managed to finish a much larger slate of competition with the Western National Semifinal being decided in nine total races in both divisions. 

CNU scored 122 points in both divisions of sailing, capturing a 15th place showing in A division and a tie for 15th in B division. The A division boat was sailed by Grace Watlington and Gail Schneider as the duo made their second straight appearance at nationals for the Captains. In the B division boat, Laura Smith also made her second straight showing while sailing with junior Gabby Byrne. 

With one of the finest races in CNU national championship history, Watlington and Schneider crossed the line third overall in the sixth race of the A division. The pair also had a top-ten effort in the third race of the nine completed races. On day one, Byrne and Smith notched a tenth-place finish in the second race of the first rotation and then added a seventh- and a ninth-place finish on day two. 

The national championship appearance is the third by CNU Sailing in the Women's Fleet Race National Championship Event after the Captains qualified in 2016 and 2024 and finished with 14th place finishes.