The Boothbay Region Sailing Club team, sponsored and run by the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club, won its first-ever regatta, the Southern Maine Open, in Portland on Saturday, Oct. 8.

The racing conducted at SailMaine in Portland saw wind mostly in the 10-15 knots range with 20 degree shifts. Eleven teams from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine competed. The young Boothbay team brought six sailors. Team captain Gabby Boord and Nate Graves (Boothbay Region High School) graciously offered to sail with Dublin School and MDI sailors to make the 11th team. Boothbay B Boat sailors, Nate Rideout and Liam Cullina, had their best day of the season with twin second place finishes and twin third place finishes. The Boothbay A Boat with Ella Beauregard and Hamilton Barclay also scored a season best four first place finishes, three second places and a third. Sixteen races were run in total, with no scores excluded. Although results were still unofficial as of Saturday evening, it appears the teams' combined score won overall.

"The team works hard during the week, practicing Monday through Thursday. They do stretching and PT before each practice and have become stronger throughout the season. It showed today as they hiked harder and longer than other teams. The sailors did well today with no penalties. They run through drills that seem repetitive but build core skills. The sailors who show up to practice make the ones that get to race on weekends better. It's a team sport," said Coach Charles Barclay.