Our Background
A Sailing Tradition
For over 60 years, sailors at Western Washington University have been among the highest performing collegiate racers in the nation with many acknowledgements and awards in both men's and women's racing.
More than a competitive sport, sailing is a way of life. We endeavor to teach, preserve, and strengthen the sportsmanship and skill that accompanies the art of sailing. As well as make this sport a more comfortable place for women and nonbinary sailors alike.
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For more info on how we got started, read below!
History
The WWU sailing team has a long history of competition and a love of sailing that we still define ourselves by today. The exact beginning of what we now know as the WWU Sailing Team is a bit fuzzy, but we can say with confidence that our team has existed for more than 60 years!
Starting the Team
1960: Viking Yacht Club Founded
The first mentions of the team can be found in WWU's Newspaper the Collegian, referencing the creation of the Viking Yacht Club, in 1960. The yacht club competed as part of the NWICYRA and sailed on Lake Whatcom in two-person boats called Penguins.
1963: First Win Against UW
WWU's sailing team has had a very long friendly rivalry with our closest competitors, the University of Washington sailing team. The first recorded win against the UW team was on January 18th, 1963!
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1976: First Women's Team
Our first women's team was created in 1976 and competed in the first College Sailing Women's Nationals in Boston the same year! The team consisted of Shannon Morris, team captain, Chris Loverich, Ginny Stern, and Sue Wardwell.