Sailing

Hotchkiss Sailing began in 1931 on Lake Wononscopomuc, Connecticut’s deepest natural lake, conveniently located on our campus. The sailing program has evolved and strengthened over the last 90 years where today, Hotchkiss competes in and aspires to win district and national championships in all three areas of high school sailing: single-handed fleet racing in the fall, and double-handed fleet and team racing in the spring. 

Sailing is offered in the spring season with both a varsity team and JV team competing in our FJs and 420s. We also offer a fall sailing concentration for our varsity level sailors. Spring sailing kicks off during spring break with a weeklong pre-season clinic in Florida. The season begins at home as soon as Lake Wononscopomuc thaws in early April, and we compete on weekends throughout the spring. Hotchkiss is a member of the New England Schools Sailing Association (NESSA) and the National Interscholastic Sailing Association (ISSA). 

-- Richard Davis, Head Coach, Varsity Sailing
 

Hotchkiss has motivated and committed student athletes with regional and national championship-level success and ambitions. In 2019, Hotchkiss was 1 of only 5 high schools in the US, out of 571, to compete in all 3 national championships (fleet, team, and singlehanded). Since 2018, Hotchkiss sailors have consecutively won the NESSA district Healy Trophy Championship to secure an invitation to compete nationally in the ILCA laser class. 

District (NESSA) Championships:
O’Day (NESSA Double-handed Fleet Championship): 2023, 2019, 2014, 2012, 2011, 1993, 1977, 1975, 1974
Presidents (NESSA Team Race Championship): 2022, 2011, 1977, 1976, 1974
Healy (NESSA Single-handed Championship): Cal Kinnear '25 - 2023, 2024 & 2025; Chapman Peterson '22 - 2018, 2019 & 2022. Other Hotchkiss champions: 2008, 2006, 2004, 1994
Herreshoff (Girls NESSA Championship): 2018, 2004, 2002
Founders (NIT Championship): 2010
Leslie (Sportsmanship): 2018

National (ISSA) Championships:
Mallory (Double-handed Fleet National Championship): 1992, 1975, 1974, 1941
Baker (Team Race National Championship): n/a
Cressy (Single-handed National Championship): 2019, 1994

The Hotchkiss boathouse includes two locker rooms, showers, and an equipment room. At our Mars Athletic Center, athletes have access to a world-class/University level fitness facility and trainers/staff.  Lake Wononscopomuc and the boathouse are just a short walk from the dormitories and classrooms, enabling us to maximize our time on the water and for studies. We are introducing more video capabilities and the latest in boat-tracking technology to further enhance our training.

Our staff of four coaches ensures efficient and safe practices with a fleet of three coachboats, fifteen collegiate FJs and six 420s. Lake Wononscopomuc is a wonderful place to sail with breezes that shift continually, challenging even the best sailors.  

Students at Hotchkiss find our high school sailing facilities and their overall student-athlete experiences develop their skills significantly and facilitate their future success at club, regional, national, and international levels, including at many of the top sailing Universities in the country.
 

Caroline LaMotte '03, Georgetown
Berry Kurland '03, Georgetown
Alan Frith '04, Boston College
Hugh Cullman '04, Brown
Jay Mills '04, Hobart
Avery Brooks '06, Boston College
Dan Nassar '06, Columbia
John Moulthrop '06, Hobart
Alex Black '07, Boston University
Liz Brim '07, Yale
Tedd Himler '07, Harvard
Bitsy Whipple '08, Connecticut College
Cam Cullman '08, Yale
James Flexner '08, Dartmouth
Stuart McSweeney '08, University of Dublin
Tristan Berne '08, Georgetown
Cristina Giordano '09, Hamilton
Delaney Osborn '09, William and Mary
Graham Landy '11, Yale
Charlotte Belling '12, Yale
Christina Fallon '13, Boston College
Jack Gerli '13, Georgetown
Nathan Alexander '13, Middlebury
Casey Klingler '14, Yale
Emily Ito '14, Brown
Ian Bateman '14, Dartmouth
Michael Fagundo '14, Columbia
Ryan Epprecht '14, Tufts
Sarah Barkley '15, Naval Academy
Jeff Morris '15, Queens
Russell Clarida '15, Stanford
Christine Klingler '16, Yale
Kathryn Shiber '16, Dartmouth
Ken Ito '16, Chicago
Carly Berry '17, Boston University
Briggs Lalor '17, Santa Clara
George Sidamon-Eristoff '17, Tufts
Nick Stefanoni '17, USC
Anton De Lesseps '18, Northwestern
Thomas Whittemore '18, Connecticut College
Casey Mason '19, Florida
Elissa Ito '19, MIT
Meredith Moran '19, Cornell
Chris Lukens '19, Bowdoin
Jacqueline Rice '20, Brown
John Eastman '20, Tufts
Nick Lorentzen '20, Connecticut College
Amelia Popp '21, Pennsylvania
Nicole Morikawa '21, Tufts
Oliver Hurwitz '21, Dartmouth
Chapman Petersen '22, Stanford
Jeb Bechtel '22, George Washington
Lucy Jervis '23, Georgetown University
Kate Moran '23, Cornell University
Helen O'Neill '23, Georgetown University
Phoebe Hackett '24, Brown University
Caleb Kinnear '25, Rollins College
Pierce Olsen '25, College of Charleston
Fynn Olsen '25, College of Charleston
Samara Walshe '25, Stanford University