April has been the windiest month this year in Minnesota, and the sailing and rowing clubs at St. Thomas have noticed changes in practicing and competitions.

Rowing is a spring-season sport, despite practicing all year round. High winds in April limited the rowing team from practicing on the Mississippi River, said junior Brayden Leloup, president of the rowing team at St. Thomas.

“When it’s windy, the waves can get pretty bad. There were definitely a few days where we could not row on the river because of the wind,” Leloup said.

Rowing is a weather-dependent sport; spring weather this year has brought the highest Monthly Total Precipitation in April since 2017. Along with that, the average wind speed in April was 11.7 miles per hour with wind and gust speed highs associated with severe weather events.

“Between the wind, rain, and river flooding, sometimes it’s difficult to get on the water in the spring. Some of the rain and wind we’ve been getting has made it difficult to get out,” Leloup said.

Sailing, like rowing, depends on weather patterns for practice and success. Sophomore Rakesh Dhiman, president of the St. Thomas Sailing Club, said the winds have a major impact on sailing.

“The wind has to hit the sail at a certain angle for it to work. When we go straight in the wind direction, where the wind is coming from, it doesn’t work. When we race, we put a buoy upwind and have a starting line downwind,” Dhiman said.

The increased wind in April hasn’t been all bad, according to Dhiman.

“More wind speed means our boats are moving faster,” Dhiman said.

Sophomore Brady Boland said that higher body weight in sailing is helpful during high wind speeds.

“I tend to have an advantage. The more of an angle you have towards the upward mark in a race, the faster you’re gonna get to it. During heavier winds, lighter sailors have to go farther away from it because they would be completely capsized if they didn’t,” Boland said.

Dhiman and Boland agreed that despite weather challenges, they enjoy participating in the Sailing Club.

“It’s a hard sport, but there’s no better feeling in the world than when you get it right,” Dhiman said.

“I personally love this higher wind. It’s been great for me and a lot more fun. A lot more first places,” Boland said.

Sabrina Thompson can be reached at thom4836@stthomas.edu.