The Milton Academy co-ed sailing team traveled to Long Beach, California, the weekend of May 12 to compete in the National High School Sailing Championship where they finished sixth in the country for fleet racing. The team’s road to nationals has been paved by a successful season overall.

Their record of 7-1-1 brought Milton’s sailors to the New England Regional qualifiers, where they faced top competitors like St. George’s and finished in 2nd place. They then went to Tabor—another sailing rival—for the New England Regionals where the team’s combined scores placed them first in New England. Milton’s sailing team has not placed first in New England since 2001.

Katie St. George (Class II) cites the resiliency of this year’s team as the source of its success. “We can lose one race and then come back and win the next three,” she says. “Our team has such a positive attitude, and we’re able to maintain it, which is so important. One bad race doesn’t get into our heads. So many teams will lose a race and get down on themselves. We can come back strong and pull through when we need to.”

The team competes the weekend of May 19 in Duxbury, Massachusetts, and the following weekend in New Orleans for a spot in the team racing national championship competition.