On Saturday, Oct. 17, during homecoming and family weekend at Roger Williams University, the Captain’s Cup was contested in overcast and blustery conditions with a northerly wind.

Regardless of the weather, the annual regatta for the parents, friends, alumni and current students that make up the Roger Williams sailing community is always a good time. This year, over 80 sailors from as far away as California, Florida and Sweden competed.

Jim Lance, whose daughter Julianna is a freshman at RWU, traveled from Rochester, N.Y. for the weekend’s festivities and couldn’t say enough good things about RWU, Coach Amanda Callahan and RWU sailing. “The program is serious but it’s not just about the athletics. It’s the whole picture — community, culture, lifestyle, diet, values, great science, great engineering — the team runs together almost every day. In terms of the sailing it’s about learning ‘how to make sure you get to the regatta on time’ and they sail six days a week.”

Two time national champion coach Amanda Callahan stresses tradition, community, and fun as key factors to the success of RWU's sailing program — all qualities that were on display during the weekend's activities. “The Captain's Cup brings everybody together around a shared love of the sport and a deep pride in the program's legacy,” said Callahan. “It's about an enduring sense of camaraderie. Alumni return year after year for the opportunity to have a drink with old friends and connect with the current sailors. The racing itself is almost a sideshow.”

Weighting in on the current team’s prospects, Callahan had this to say: “Our season is going really well. The women's team is having their best year ever, lead by senior skippers, Lucy Meagher and Tavia Smith and after graduating all of the skippers in our starting line up last spring, we've been pleasantly surprised by the junior and sophomore skippers who have stepped up.”

Recently, Sophomore Reece Schwartz was selected for the singlehanded national championship which will take place on Nov. 7-8 at American Yacht Club in Rye N.Y., hosted by Fordham University.

A raucous and joyous dance party was held under the tent at the Herreshoff Marine Museum waterfront on Saturday night, the highlight of the evening being, according to witnesses, the Swedish family in attendance “losing their minds on the dance floor” when a song from the Mamma Mia soundtrack was played.