2025 Eastern Districts
written by Erin Wojdaszka
July 3rd brought perfect sailing conditions for the annual Eastern Districts regatta, with blue skies and a steady breeze setting the stage for some exciting competition. This year, the action was split between two local clubs: Noroton Yacht Club hosted the Club420 and Feva classes, while Norwalk Yacht Club took charge of the ILCA fleet.
Both clubs were able to stay on schedule and get the harbor start going on time. They took full advantage of the ideal morning weather. For many sailors, Eastern Districts is a highlight of the early summer racing—a chance to test their skills against teams from other clubs and get a taste of regatta racing. It’s also a key qualifying event for the JSA 2025 Club 420, Feva, and ILCA Championships, drawing plenty of eager competitors, including some who are new to the racing scene.
Regatta chairperson Casey Hart greeted the racers at the registration table with a smile, as the day began, noting that the breeze looked steady and was expected to hold, making for fair and fun racing. Noroton welcomed a variety of clubs from all along the long island Sound with a total of 58 entries. All the racers brought their boats their that morning, and were busy rigging and checking their equipment.
Before the action got underway, Noroton C420 Coach Annabelle Woodworth huddled with her sailors to talk strategy, focusing on light air tactics that could give them an edge in the day’s conditions. Meanwhile, at the Instructors and Competitors meeting, PRO r John Bainton clarified a key amendment to the race course: with both C420 and Feva classes starting, there would be a closed start and finish line to keep things running smoothly. Racers would not be able to cross the starting line or finish once they started and once they finished.
The spirit of the event was summed up perfectly by Julianna and Maeve, two competitors from Black Rock Yacht Club. Fresh off their experience at the Commodore Law Trophy Regatta and Pre-Clinic, they were excited to jump into another race and kick off their summer sailing season. Congratulations to Pequot and Noroton with several boats finishing in the top five for the C420 class. The Feva class had several clubs finishing in the top five, including Noroton Yacht Club, Milford Yacht Club, Norwalk Yacht Club, Cedar Point Yacht Club, and Stamford Yacht Club. The race committee did a good job with keeping the races going and both classes were able to get in five races each.
All in all, the 2025 Eastern Districts was a fantastic day on the water—great competition, good vibes, and plenty of opportunities for both seasoned racers and newcomers to shine. Here’s to more days like this on the Sound!
The complete finish results for the regatta may be viewed at this link for Club 420 class and Feva class.
The complete finish results for the regatta may be viewed at this link for the ILCA class.
