The Minnetonka High School Varsity Sailing Team places second at the Baker Qualifier in Lake Forest, Illinois, to qualify for the ISSA Team Racing Championship.

Last weekend 12 teams from Minnesota (MHS, Wayzata and Orono), Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin converged in Lake Forest to compete for two spots in the Baker National Interscholastic Sailing Association's Team Racing Championships in Anaconstes, Washington. Minnetonka qualified by finishing second, losing a tie-breaker to Lake Forest High School (Ill.).  This is just the third time a team from Minnesota has qualified.

The sailors that represented MHS were: Cort Vandik (co-captain), Berette McNaught (co-captain), Carl Eaton (co-captain), Lizzy Holiman, Sydney Maxwell, Graham Ness, Lily Loosbrock, and Nate Olmsted.  Coaching the team were Trevor Davis and Gordy Bowers.

The team raced hard and smart, especially in a late race against Arrowhead from Lake Pewaukee. The team didn’t have their best start and found themselves in a 3,4,6 losing combination at the windward offset mark.  Some fast downwind sailing allowed the team to catch the 2 which they parleyed into a 2,3,4 winning combination.  Coach Trevor and Coach Gordy were seen high fiving after the race.  Like a proud papa, Gordy smiled as he boasted that the Skippers practiced "text book team racing” during the event.

Travel plans have already been made for the trip to Anacortes, Washington.  Winning means more travel expenses and the team is completely funded by the sailors.  If you would like help out, donations can be made to the MHS Sailing Boosters at 150 Wildhurst Road, Tonka Bay, MN  55331.