Sailing team pair sixth in Kanto women’s sailing contest

Third-year Life Science and Engineering student Yu Endo and second-year Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering student Haruna Suzuki, two members of the Titech¹ Sailing Team, have finished sixth at the 91st Kanto Intercollegiate Fall Women's Student Sailing Competition, held on September 15 and 16 at Morito Coast in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture.

The Kanto Intercollegiate Women's Student Sailing Competition is a team contest that features two types of boats — the Snipe² class and the 470³ class. This year, the Institute, which finished fifth overall, was represented by two teams in both classes.

Competitive sailing is a sport that requires a high level of strategy and tactics, such as reading the constantly changing winds and tides, and deciding on the best course for the boat while maintaining speed. In a race, participating boats start at the same time, sail around buoys in the prescribed order a specific number of times, and compete to cross the finish line first.

Snipe-class dinghies use two sails — a mainsail and a jib. Speed can be hard to come by, so sailors must utilize the wind skillfully while maneuvering strategically in relation to the other boats. Sailors lean over the edge of the boat to achieve balance while holding on to a belt with their feet.

In addition to a main sail and a jib, 470-class dinghies also use a spinnaker sail. This gives the boat more speed than a Snipe-class dinghy, but also makes balancing more difficult. To prevent the boat from capsizing, "trapeze" wires are attached to the boat, allowing sailors to hang outside the vessel with their feet on the edge of the dinghy.

Comments from Endo-Suzuki pair

We are happy that an inexperienced pair like us was able to achieve this result despite the strong winds. Our experience in competitive sailing, which requires plenty of thought and concentration, will be a great asset for our future studies and growth. We would like to send a warm thank-you to our friends and supporters who have been there for us. We will continue to do our best to reach even higher goals in the future.

Science Tokyo Sailing Team

Most members of the Science Tokyo Sailing Team joined the official student club with no sailing experience, but they have achieved outstanding results at national championships and other competitions by utilizing the knowledge they have gained through daily practice and from senior members and alumni. The Kuramae Ushio Association, an alumni association boasting 400 members, fully supports the activities of the current club members. Their motto is "developing full-fledged sailors, full-fledged members of society."

1  The Titech Sailing Team changed its name to the Science Tokyo Sailing Team after Tokyo Medical and Dental University and Tokyo Institute of Technology merged to form Institute of Science Tokyo on October 1, 2024.

2  The Snipe is a 4.72-meter sailboat designed by William F. Crosby in 1931. It was originally intended as a boat that can be rigged and launched in a short time, and has maintained its position as one of the most popular two-person racing sailboats since its creation. The Snipe gets its name from the species of long-beaked bird.

3  The 470 (four-seventy), so named due to its 4.7-meter length, is a sailboat designed to plane easily. Sailing the boat efficiently requires strong teamwork from its two members. Designed in 1963 by Frenchman André Cornu, the 470 has been an Olympic sailing class since 1976.

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