Mackenzie Cooper and his St Mary’s College of Maryland team-mates had plenty of reason to celebrate after qualifying for June’s Intercollegiate College Sailing Association Team Racing National Championships in San Diego.

Red Bull Youth America’s Cup sailor Cooper and his team-mates finished second at last weekend’s regional team race championship at Old Dominion University on the Elizabeth River in the double-handed International Flying Junior dinghy.

The St Mary’s three-boat team ended the regatta with an identical 13-1 record with defending champions, Georgetown University. The two teams met twice during the regatta with each recording a win which resulted in a tie.

The tie was ultimately broken after Georgetown beat St Mary’s in a final sail-off for the championship.

Georgetown, St Mary’s, Old Dominion and Navy, the top four teams at last weekend’s regatta, will now represent the Mid-Atlantic division at June’s Intercollegiate College Sailing Association Team Racing National Championships.

Last weekend’s championship was limited to only one day of racing because of high winds.

Organisers managed to complete 57 races under bright sunny skies and 8-11 knot northerly breeze.

St Mary’s team included skippers Cooper, Alex Curtiss, Markus Edegran and Chase Quinn with Shelby Jacobs, Mariah Leffingwell, Kaitlyn Noreen and Greer Wattson providing crew support.