Severn Sailing Association hosted the Olivia’s Team Racing Invitational (OTRI) on July 16th and 17th, 2022 in FJs. On the water, the regatta’s 40 skipper/crew teams were welcomed by classic Annapolis summer conditions. Both days of racing saw a southerly breeze fluctuating between 5 and 10 knots with steady chop.

Per the unique format of the regatta, the first day of racing consisted of 2 v 2 team racing with random pairs assigned. For every race, each skipper/crew duo raced with a new teammate and against two new teams. After 50 races, no team raced with or against any other team more than once, maximizing the opportunity for each competitor to meet as many new sailors as possible–think of it as “sailing speed dating”! For the second day of racing, 3 v 3 teams were formed based on the records from the previous day. As an example, the teams in 1st, 26th, and 40th from the previous day were formed into a team for 3 v 3 racing, as were the teams in 8th, 19th, and 33rd. The goal of this format is two-fold: first, it keeps the teams as even as possible and second, it lets beginner team racers sail alongside experienced sailors, building confidence and community. Several rounds of 3 v 3 team racing occurred in light, but consistent conditions followed by a quarterfinals, semifinals, and final round of team racing.

This year’s Olivia’s Team Racing Invitational (OTRI) brought out participants with a wide range of experience with both team racing and sailing. Current and former collegiate All-American team racers and those with 30+ years of racing experience raced alongside those brand new to both team racing and/or sailing. The resulting atmosphere of collaboration and light-hearted competition help contribute to this one-of-a-kind event, all in keeping with the spirit of Olivia.

Many thanks to Brad and Marissa Milliken for for taking charge of the event and getting so many great sailors participating, Principal Race Officer Robin Richards for running nearly 80 races over the weekend, Rotation Circus Leader Tom Shaw for making sure the right teams got in the right boats, and the rest of the volunteers for contributing to a FANTASTIC event! Additionally, many thanks to the supporters and sponsors from the Olivia Constants Foundation, HarkenDerm, the NFL Player Care Foundation, Maritime Coffee Time, Broadneck Grill, LonGundie, and the Severn Sailing Association’s Junior Program for helping make the regatta possible.

1st Place: Onion Buns (Jake Vickers & Mac Clifton), Rust-eze (George Carty & Jack Powers), and Lanakila (Grace Crespin & Jake Crespin)

2nd Place: Fleet Racers (Raam Fox & Lila Gibson), Suckerpunch Kickflip (Brad Milliken & Robert Turley), and Sundays Only (Parker Herman & Will Friedell)

3rd Place: McTip Shampoon (Brady Stagg & Lydia McPherson-Shambarger), Feather Weights (Trevor Perkins & Cam Perkins), and The Boys are Back in Town (Griffin Richardson & Joaquin Marquez)

Full Results on the SSA results site: http://results.severnsailing.org/2022/2022OliviaConstanceRegatta.pdf

Additional awards were given to the following teams: