Sailing Team Qualifies for 89th All Japan Intercollegiate Sailing Championships

Sailing Team Sets Course for National Championships

The Science Tokyo Sailing Team, hails its impressive 8th-place overall finish in the Snipe class at the Kanto Intercollegiate Student Sailing Competition.

Held from October 12 to 14 at Morito Coast in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture, the competition resulted in qualification for the prestigious All Japan Intercollegiate Sailing Championships!

Hard Work Pays Off

Three boats from each participating university team competed with each team’s total points determining the rankings. The top 8 finish grants them entry to the national championships, held at Enoshima Yacht Harbor in Kanagawa Prefecture from October 31 to November 4.

This marks the team’s return to the national stage after a two-year hiatus.

“I am very pleased to have qualified for the All Japan Intercollegiate Sailing Championships. I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has supported us. At times, it was difficult to practice sailing while working on my studies and research, but I tried to be efficient and dedicate time to both activities. I am proud that the efforts of the team members have led to this result. We will continue to do our best to meet the expectations of all those who have supported us, and we ask for your continued support,” shares team leader Kazuki Sasa, a 4th year Chemistry student.

Experienced and Freshman Combine for Success

Kazuki Sasa leads the team alongside Snipe vice-captain, Kohta Fukuda, a fellow 4th year student, and Incoming captain Yuki Takahashi.

"I am very happy that we made it to the All Japan Intercollegiate Sailing Championships. I would like to thank my seniors, juniors, and above all, my classmates and parents for their support.

I am actually pleased that I have recently realized how inexperienced a sailor I am. I never knew that taking things this seriously could have such profound effects. In the future, I plan to study hard and apply my sailing experience to my research at the graduate level. I hope many of you will continue to support our team," states Fukuda.

Takahashi, a 3rd-year computer science student, was the only 3rd-year participant in the highly competitive Kanto competition.dii

Takahashi reflected, “I was the only 3rd-year student competing in the Kanto Intercollegiate Student Sailing Competition, while my teammates were all 4th-year students. My pair and I were able to communicate efficiently despite our age difference, and I experienced significant growth.

We are all balancing our club activities with our studies, but we stuck to our practice schedule and were able to achieve our goal of qualifying for the All Japan Intercollegiate Sailing Championships. I hope to utilize my experience during my chapter’s captaincy next year, as well as in my future research.”

Tackling the Waves

Specialized

Competitive sailing

. It 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 simultaneously, sailing around buoys in a specific order several times before competing to cross the finish line first. The All Japan Intercollegiate Sailing Championships will see sailors competing in two classes — the Snipe class and the 470 class.

Snipe-class dinghies use two sails – a mainsail and a jib. Speed for this class is a precious commodity. One Sailor

“Speed can be hard to come by, so sailors must utilize the wind skillfully while maneuvering strategically

What strategies does the Science Tokyo Sailing Team employ to ‍balance their academic rigors with‍ their demanding sailing practice schedule?

## Interview with Science ‍Tokyo ‌Sailing Team Leader Kazuki Sasa

**Interviewer:** Congratulations on qualifying for the ‍All Japan ⁣Intercollegiate Sailing Championships! An ‌8th place ⁢finish in the ​Kanto Intercollegiate Student Sailing Competition is truly impressive. Tell us,‌ Kazuki, how does the⁢ team feel about this achievement?

**Kazuki Sasa:**‌ We’re absolutely thrilled! ​Reaching nationals has been a​ big goal for us, and it feels incredibly rewarding to have achieved it after two years⁤ of not competing at this level.

**Interviewer:** Balancing academics and demanding sports training can be tough. Did ​you face ‌any particular challenges preparing for this competition?

**Kazuki Sasa:**⁢ [Quote from Kazuki Sasa in the provided text: “At times, it was difficult to practice sailing while working on my studies and research, but I tried to be efficient and dedicate time to both activities.”]

**Interviewer:** It seems ⁢like everyone’s hard work really paid off. What are⁢ your team’s strengths?

**Kazuki Sasa:** We have a‌ great mix of experienced sailors like ⁢myself ⁤and Kohta Fukuda, alongside newer members⁣ like Yuki ​Takahashi who ​bring‌ fresh energy and enthusiasm to the team.⁤

**Interviewer:** ​What are your ⁢expectations for the All Japan Intercollegiate Sailing Championships?

**Kazuki Sasa:** ‌ [Quote from Kazuki Sasa in the provided text: “We will continue to do our best to meet the expectations of all those who have supported us, and we ask for your continued support.”]

**Interviewer:** is⁣ there anything you’d like to say⁣ to your supporters?

**Kazuki Sasa:** ⁤We’re deeply grateful for the support⁤ from our ⁤families, friends, and everyone who has helped us‌ on this journey.

**Interviewer:** Thank you for your time, Kazuki,⁢ and best of luck at Nationals!