Photo: Emo Castle, Castle Image
Vermont Business Magazine Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center (LCCSC), in partnership with the UVM Sailing Team, has been accepted as the host of the 2028 Intercollegiate Fleet Racing National Championships.
Members of the Intercollegiate Sailing Association (ICSA), the governing body for all North American college sailing, compete for two annual Fleet Racing Championships. The 2028 Women’s Fleet Race Championship will be held from May 15 - 18, followed by the 2028 Open Fleet Race Championship on May 22 - 28. Each event will draw the top teams in the country to Burlington, Vermont.
"Our team is excited to work with LCCSC to host the 2028 Fleet Race Nationals,” said Ben Chafee, Director of UVM Sailing. “The timing couldn't be more perfect. The 2027-28 academic year marks UVM Sailing’s 50th anniversary. We now have the unique opportunity to celebrate an enduring legacy as we make program history. For the first time, teams from across the country will compete for a national championship at our spectacular venue."
Each event will open with a semifinal, where the first two days of racing will feature a field of 36 teams, split into two fleets of 18. Teams will aim to land in the top nine in their fleet in order to advance to the final. During that stage, the athletes will race for an additional two days for a shot at the national title.
“Welcoming competitors, support staff, and spectators to Burlington for this event means a lot to our team's community,” said Brittney Manning, Operations Director for the Event and Vice Chair of UVM Sailing’s Alumni Board. “Few can understand, without sailing here themselves, the fantastic range of conditions on the lake. In a given week, we might see light and shifty winds as often as we see big breeze and waves. It should make for exciting racing and spectating.”
Racing will take place on the picturesque backdrop of northern Lake Champlain. All are welcome and encouraged to watch the action from Burlington's waterfront.
About Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center: A community-based non-profit organization, the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center (LCCSC) encourages and celebrates the responsible use and long-term stewardship of Lake Champlain by fostering educational and recreational access for all members of its community. The LCCSC serves over 8,000 people annually through award-winning water-based programs and initiatives to instill a sense of ownership in Vermont’s foremost natural resources. A mainstay of the Burlington community for over 30 years, the Sailing Center continuously strives to provide universal access for all and to empower the next generation of lake lovers. To learn more about the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center, please visit: www.communitysailingcenter.org
About the University of Vermont Sailing Team: The University of Vermont Sailing Team is a club program that competes in the Intercollegiate Sailing Association (ICSA), the league for all competitive collegiate sailing teams. Founded in 1977, the UVM Sailing Team has been racing on the waters of Lake Champlain, one of the most spectacular sailing venues in the Northeast, for nearly 50 years. They field women's and open teams in a full schedule of regattas each fall and spring season. The program is committed to developing skilled, competitive sailors while fostering teamwork, sportsmanship, and a lifelong love of the sport.
About College Sailing: The Intercollegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) is the governing authority for sailing competition at colleges and universities throughout the United States and in some parts of Canada. There are six conferences that schedule and administer regattas within their established geographic regions.
BURLINGTON, VT. (June 25, 2026) — Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center
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Vermont Business Magazine