Long Island Sound IOR celebrates 25 years with Storm Trysail Club
by Storm Trysail Club 13 Oct 13:45 PDT
October 9-11, 2026
Forty-seven collegiate teams gathered at Larchmont Yacht Club October 9-11 for the Long Island Sound Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta, marking the 25th anniversary of Storm Trysail Club organizing an event built around a generous idea: local boat owners and members sharing their boats, time, and knowledge to introduce college sailors to big boat racing.
Organized with Larchmont Yacht Club and supported by the Storm Trysail Foundation, the IOR has grown from just 7 teams back in 2001. The regatta now offers opportunities for a range of college sailing programs, from established collegiate offshore programs to club teams with sailors whose racing experience has primarily been in dinghies. For some schools, the weekend is an opportunity to develop a growing offshore team. For others, it is a first chance to take on the different roles, teamwork, and challenges of racing a larger keelboat.
At the heart of that experience are the boat owners and designated Safety Officers, who welcome students aboard and help them build knowledge and experience throughout the weekend. Their commitment makes this distinctive format possible, connecting the next generation of sailors with an experienced and enthusiastic sailing community.
"This event is one of the things that makes me so proud to represent both clubs," said Andrew Weiss, Commodore of Storm Trysail Club, Vice Commodore of Larchmont Yacht Club, and owner of One Too Many. "By welcoming college sailors aboard our boats, we're helping lay a foundation for the next generation—giving them opportunities to build skills, gain confidence, and discover where sailing can take them. As a boat owner, it's incredibly rewarding to see a team come together over the course of a weekend and know that you've played a small part in opening that door."
Most teams began Friday with practice aboard their assigned boats, working alongside their Safety Officers to become familiar with sail handling, maneuvers, and crew responsibilities before racing began.
Saturday and Sunday brought competition across two race circles and six classes: the ORC National Team Class, two PHRF divisions, and three one-design divisions. The National Team Class is new for 2026 and brings together schools participating in all three stops of the expanding IOR Series.
The weekend delivered two very different tests. Saturday's sunshine and light breeze rewarded patience, careful boat handling, and finding pressure, with most classes completing four races. Sunday brought strong winds and torrential rain, putting the sailors through their paces and shifting the focus to decisive maneuvers, clear communication, and coordinated teamwork. Seven races were completed over the weekend.
Class honors went to:
- ORC National: University of Michigan aboard the Swan 42 Zammermoos, skippered by River Servia, with 11 points and five race wins.
- PHRF Large: Dalhousie University aboard the J/122 Dire Wolf, skippered by Henry McCallum, with 14 points, securing victory with wins in the final two races.
- PHRF Medium: University of New Hampshire aboard the X37 Expresso, skippered by Ted Richardsson, with 15 points and four race wins.
- J/109: McGill University aboard Nordlys, skippered by Eben Dooling, with 10 points and five race wins, including a sweep of Sunday's three races.
- J/88: Drexel University aboard Whirlwind, skippered by Jonathan Walerys, with 12 points and five consecutive race wins, edging the University of Wisconsin by one point.
- J/105: Columbia University aboard Lou Lou, skippered by Eva DeCastro, with 18 points, finishing the regatta with four consecutive race wins.
"Winning the regatta was a major milestone for our team, and we couldn't be more excited! This was my first time helming an offshore regatta, and much of our team is also new to keelboats, so our goal at the regatta was to come in with a positive mindset and focus on working together as a team to sail this new kind of boat," said Columbia's skipper Eva DeCastro. "This win is extra special for Columbia because just four years ago, our team was inactive and wasn't sailing. Our results at this regatta really show how far we've come. We're super excited to build on this momentum and hope to be at many more IORs! We are so thankful for Storm Trysail, Larchmont Yacht Club, and Paul Beaudin for making this possible."
The University of Michigan received the Puff Trophy, honoring longtime IOR supporter Howie McMichael, for the second-best overall performance. Racing aboard the Swan 42 Zammermoos, the Wolverines won five of seven races to secure the ORC National Class title.
Two of the classes were won by teams from north of the border, with McGill University and Dalhousie University making the trip from Québec and Nova Scotia, respectively. "We had some very challenging conditions on Sunday, but our team performed amazingly and we were able to capitalize off of great starts." said McGill skipper Eben Dooling. "This was a super fun weekend and an amazing opportunity for our team to connect with other collegiate keelboat sailors. We are incredibly happy to come back to Canada with the win! Thank you so much to all the owners and volunteers, especially Bob and Keller, for making the event possible!"
Long Island Sound was the second stop of the 2026 IOR Series, following the Great Lakes IOR in Chicago two weeks earlier. The series next heads to Seattle for the inaugural Pacific Northwest IOR, with racing November 14-15, extending this opportunity to collegiate sailors on both coasts and the Great Lakes.
The College of Charleston leads the standings for the coveted Callisto Cup, awarded to the top National Team across the series. Brown University, the University of Michigan, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy remain close behind, keeping the title very much in play heading into the Seattle finale which will be held entirely in J/105s.
Twenty-five years into Storm Trysail Club's stewardship, the Intercollegiate Offshore Regattas continue to demonstrate the value of opening boats—and doors—to young sailors. These events have no entry fee, thanks to generous donations through the Storm Trysail Foundation, the dedication of boat owners and volunteers, and the support of sponsors ShopRite of Carteret, Lemon & Line, Helly Hansen, Carlsberg (Sheehan Family Companies), McMichael Yacht Yards & Brokers, UK Sailmakers Northeast, Dimension-Polyant, and RACE Coastal Engineering.