Top 18 Teams advance to College Women’s Nationals

San Diego, CA (May 25, 2016) – After yesterday’s unstable winds led to delays which kept the fleet on the water until after 7pm, rock solid conditions today at the Sperry Women’s National Semi-Final offered winds in the mid-teens to crank out races until the 5:00 pm cut-off.

Despite the contrasting conditions, day one leaders University of Rhode Island Rams and the U.S. Coast Guard Bears concluded today on top of their respective divisions.

“We were dominant in A-division,” says Skip Whyte, head coach for Rhode Island, referring to the 35 point lead that Rachel Bryer ’17 and Hannah Scanlon ’18 had over the second place finishers in the division. “The breeze this afternoon was gustier and shiftier than we expected in San Diego, it was more like the East coast sailing we are used to.

“The weather could be different tomorrow, so we will be ready for a change. Coast Guard Academy, as well as many others, will be tough to beat starting tomorrow. We have little things to work on and execute in the finals.”

Sailing for Rhode Island is Rachel Bryer ’17 with Hannah Scanlon ’18 in A-division and Sarah Hermus ’18 with Marisa DeCollibus ’17 and Courtney Bombardier ’16 in B-division.

Coast Guard held onto their lead today in the Western fleet and finished the Semi-Finals ahead of Yale University, the defending champions, and Brown University who finished in third place.

“Today was windier than we expected with long shifts, but it was fun racing,” says Brian Swingly, head coach for Coast Guard. “We had a speed advantage today and felt more comfortable in the collegiate style FJs we sailed in today.

“We feel confident after the semifinals, but we know the bar is being raised tomorrow. We are still working hard and we study every race, but tonight will be like every other night,” he says, “We don’t debrief after racing, we will talk tomorrow morning about today’s racing and make a plan for the day – we treat every regatta the same and this one is no different.”

Sailing for Coast Guard is Nikole Barnes ’17 with Anna Morin ’19 and Madelynn Widmeier ’19 in A-division and Dana Rohde ’18 and Hannah Herring ‘18 in B-division.

While Rhode Island and Coast Guard clearly topped their fleets, what took longer to confirm were the remaining positions as redress hearings involving boat issues extended until 9:00pm. But with the final jury decision came the completion of the Semi-Finals, and the field of 36 college teams had been officially cut in half. The top nine in each Semi-Final event now advance with a fresh score sheet to the Women’s Finals on May 26-27.

While University of South Florida and Harvard University hold the distinction of just missing the cut, questions remain as to which of the top teams will make the most of their opportunity. Will Yale University defend their 2015 crown? Will Boston College be the bride and not the bridesmaid? Will top ranked Rhode Island confirm they are the best team?

Racing begins tomorrow at 10:30am.

Eastern Semi-Final Results (Top 9 of 18)
1. University of Rhode Island, 120
2. Boston University, 132
3. University of Vermont, 132
4. Boston College, 167
5. George Washington University, 184
6. Bowdoin College, 190
7. Stanford University, 197
8. St. Mary’s College of Maryland, 202
9. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 219

Western Semi-Final Results (Top 9 of 18)
1. U.S. Coast Guard Academy, 84
2. Yale University, 136
3. Brown University, 153
4. University of California Santa Barbara, 155
5. College of Charleston, 177
6. Dartmouth College, 179
7. University of Wisconsin, 179
8. Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 192
9. Georgetown University, 207

Event details – Eastern Semi-Finals Scores – Western Semi-Final Scores – Photos – Facebook

Background: The Intercollegiate Sailing Association’s three spring national championships, Sperry Women’s National Semi-Final and Final Championship, LaserPerformance Team Race National Championship, and the Gill Coed Dinghy National Semi-Final and Final Championship will be held May 24-June 3, with schools racing Club and Collegiate FJs on San Diego Bay in San Diego, CA. The three events will be co-hosted by San Diego Yacht Club and the Pacific Coast Collegiate Sailing Conference.

Source: Scuttlebutt, ICSA