Point Loma High sailing team looks to keep dynasty going full speed ahead

In a sport defined by shifting winds, tight margins and constant change, Point Loma High School’s sailing team has become a rare constant: a dynasty.

This spring, the Pointers completed one of the most decorated seasons in high school sailing history, winning both the Baker Team Race National Championship in May at Mission Bay Yacht Club and the Mallory Fleet Race National Championship on May 31 and June 1 at Connecticut College in New London, Conn.

Point Loma went 15-2 at the Baker regatta, defeating the nation’s top 12 teams, then edged powerhouse Antilles School from the U.S. Virgin Islands by three points in the 28-race Mallory.

The latter was the school’s 14th national championship in the past 15 years and the first time since 2018 that any school swept both titles in the same season.

The team expects another championship run in the coming season starting in September, and the work hasn’t stopped. Many Point Loma sailors are spending the short offseason competing with club teams to polish their skills.

“Most of the best sailors keep sailing throughout the summer,” said Point Loma head coach Steve Hunt, one of the most successful high school sailing coaches in the country and a three-time world champion sailor. “It’s like soccer, where you have your high school soccer team and you also have club soccer. That extra practice and competition really make a difference when the season starts again.”

“From time to time,” Hunt added, “you have special athletes that are really good, even as a freshman, but often it’s the seniors who perform best because they’ve been through the grind and have more experience. This [past season], we had the perfect mix — the best coaching staff we’ve ever had, a hungry team coming back from injury, and deep talent. It was a perfect symmetry.”

The titles were especially sweet for senior Ian Nyenhuis. He returned as a lead skipper after missing last year’s championships because of a torn knee ligament. Hunt described losing Nyenhuis in 2024 as comparable to losing Michael Jordan just before an NBA championship game.

“Ian joined the team as a freshman and was one of the best sailors on the team for four years straight,” Hunt said. “Losing him last year was tough, but I’m glad he got to finish his career with two national championships.”

Other key contributors to the Pointers’ success were skippers Skye Terrell, Wyatt Kelly, Julia Stewart and Anton Schmid, along with standout crew members Olive Kanemasu and Jonah Wozniak.

“We have a super-deep, amazing team where even our fourth-, fifth- and sixth-best sailors would by far be the best sailor on any team in the country,” Hunt said.

Coaches Mateo Vargas and Aidan Hoogland guided the team during the Baker regatta, while Parker Shinn led coaching duties for the Mallory Fleet Race.

“We had the best coaching staff we’ve ever had this past season,” Hunt said. “It was really mind-boggling how talented they were. Everything just aligned perfectly.”

With nearly 70 teams in the ultra-competitive Pacific Coast district, Point Loma’s continued dominance is a result of design. With year-round access to top-tier sailing conditions on San Diego Bay and a deep-rooted youth sailing culture at venues such as the San Diego, Mission Bay and Coronado yacht clubs, the program draws from one of the most competitive junior circuits in the country.

Many Pointers arrive with nearly a decade of sailing experience already under their belts. Some even move to Point Loma specifically to join the team.

That foundation is sharpened by a demanding practice schedule — more than 100 sessions in a nine-month season — and a team structure that emphasizes development from the bottom up.

“We’ve created a system where the new kids get the most attention,” Hunt said. “By the time they’re seniors, they’re not just great sailors, they’re teachers, leaders and mentors. That’s what sustains us year after year.”