Northern League Championship Wraps Up in Redwood City

Two days of high school sailing for the Northern League Championship wrapped up in Redwood City on Sunday, amid brisk winds that seemed to suit Alameda High just fine.

Accepting the award, Reid Sojka observed that the team has “sailed all of the Pacific Coast events this year.” That is more than most of the 20 teams competing, which perhaps retells the truism about time in the boat. Strong finishes on Sunday by Sojka and crew Charles Maxey sealed the win over the defenders from Redwood High.

Alameda High sails three days a week in FJs out of Encinal Yacht Club. Its sailors are also practicing for the Sears Cup qualifier in J/22s, on May 10 on the Cityfront, along with many of the Bay’s most ambitious young sailors. The Sears Cup is the US junior keelboat championship, set for August at StFYC.

Given that college sailing, like high school sailing, uses A and B divisions but often recognizes top boats in each of the divisions, it is worth noting that Redwood’s B skipper, freshman Beckett Kern, sailed a killer series with fellow freshmen Jack Kurtowicv and Luke Pialloux alternating as crew. Under the high school scoring system, their performance kept Redwood only five points behind Alameda, 95 to 100.

At 101, Convent and Stuart Hall were close enough to smell their sunscreen.