Sarah Somes
Sarah Somes was born with a passion for sailing. Adventures on her parents boat, Sagitta,
had her entranced from the beginning. She joined Bayview’s Junior Sailing Program when
she was 12 in 2003 and was quick to win Female Skipper of the year in 2004. She then
moved into the crew position of the Club 420 fleet beginning her nationally competitive
career and qualifying for the US Youth Sailing Championship, North American
Championship, Club 420 Nationals, Sears and Bemis Quarter and Semifinals, and more
within the Club 420 advanced racing circuit. Sarah joined the Grosse Pointe South High
School team for all four years receiving 3 varsity letters, 3 scholar athlete awards, and voted
team captain her junior year. Throughout high school Sarah continued to train and compete
on a national level. She attended match racing and fleet racing events and clinics at BYC
and others along both coasts. Sarah prepared herself for a successful racing career by
traveling to Advanced Racing Clinics, competing at high level events, and training with
professional coaches Elizabeth Kratzig, Nick Ewenson, and Adam Roberts.
In the fall of 2009, Sarah made the cut! She joined the College of Charleston Sailing Team.
C of C has a highly competitive varsity - and club - sailing team that continues to maintain a
top 10 national ranking. Shortly after joining C of C, Sandy Hayes offered Sarah an
amazing opportunity to compete with Hayes’ team in Troia, Portugal for the Women’s World
Match Race Tour on the Swedish Match 20, where they finished 7th. Halfway through
freshman year Sarah was promoted to a starting crew position for the Women’s B-Division.
She remained a key player on the Women’s team for the remainder of her college career
contributing to both A and B divisions, and leading the team to qualify for three Women’s
National Championships in 2011, 2012, and 2013, finishing top 10 in the last two. However,
Sarah’s versatility was not limited to just the Women’s Division. Her love and experience in
keelboat racing qualified her for the Inaugural ICSA National Match Race Championship
Team as well as multiple Co-Ed Intersectional regattas including the 2013 Co-Ed National
Championship, won by the C of C Cougars. Sarah shares her passion for sailing among
boats small and large. She has raced five Port Huron Mackinac Races, receiving one 1 st and
one 2nd place, as well as one Chicago Mackinac Race.
Throughout her college career Sarah challenged her passion for sailing, and her grade point
average, by competing in many other renowned regattas. In 2010, she had the great honor
of representing Bayview Yacht Club at the 2010 New York Yacht Club Challenge sailing with
Bora Gulari (skipper), Todd Jones and Kent Colpaert. In 2011 Sarah joined fellow C of C
sailors and All-American Skipper, Allie Blecher, Molly Robinson, and Alyssa Aitken to
compete in the Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship. Later that year she
tried her hand at iceboating and finished 4th in Silver Fleet at the IDNIYRA 2011 Central
Lakes Championship. She was awarded C of C sailing team’s MVP in 2011, elected team
captain in 2012, was a 4 time scholar athlete, and a 2 time J. Steward Walker Trophy
Finalist – the highest award any athlete can receive at the College of Charleston.
Sarah Somes