Ben Sheppard '23 Qualifies for Sailing Nationals

Following a strong second-place finish at a recent regional qualifier, Brunswick sailor Ben Sheppard will compete at the 2021 National Singlehanded Sailing Championships. 
 
At the NESSA (New England Schools Sailing Association) Single Handed Championship, held at the Norwalk Yacht Club, Sheppard, racing a Laser Radial, was second out of 20 entries from the region in the eight-race event. Over the two-day championship that began on September 25, the Brunswick junior finished with 22 points, tied on points with the eventual champion, earning six top-three finishes and winning three of the 8 races.
 
The scoring format is based on finishing position. The better a boat finishes in each race, the lower the score for the competitor.
 
The event winner from Hotchkiss (also 22 points, won on a tiebreaker), along with Sheppard and the third-place racer from Weston High School (44 points), will represent the NESSA at the national championship, as the sailors will race for the Cressy Trophy.