Rockland Community Sailors take first place at the Becton Cup women's State Championship regatta in Castine last week. Racing was postponed for a half an hour in the morning as gusts to 35-knots straightened out all of the flags on the State of Maine, which was tied up alongside the MMA waterfront in Castine.  

The racing commenced in the stiff breeze that remained after the rain stopped, and 11 boats began to work upwind in Smith Cove, across from Castine. Twenty-two girls from Maine and Massachusetts in various caps, bandanas, work gloves and drysuits to keep warm, battled it out over seven races to determine the Maine State Champions.  

In the end, two Midcoast girls, sailing out of Rockland Community Sailing came home with the Becton Cup. Skipper Jillian Galloway and Crew Hannah Chase sailed fast all day, with no fouls and no early starts. They also notched first place finishes in the 2nd and 5th races, at times stretching out an impressive lead.

Also competing from the midcoast were Emily Lau and Ava Schlottman from Islesboro Central School. And Hallie MacDougal and Isabel Corona-Ferlauto from the Watershed School and Oceanside.  Junior High sailors Rylee Sienkiewicz and Sophie Lau from Isleboro held their own, finishing sixth overall in a very competitive fleet of older girls. All in all a great day of fall racing at Maine Maritime Academy.  

Here is a link to the Action Photo Gallery from the Ellsworth American and Photographer Stephen Rappaport