Charleston seeks to defend Fowle Trophy

by Luke Reasoner, The Post and Courier
As a senior at Wando High School, Carter Cameron helped the Warriors’ sailing team qualify for the Interscholastic Sailing Association national championship for the first time in school history. Wando was only the third Charleston-area school to ever qualify for those nationals, and first since James Island Charter High School in 2007.

Now a rising senior majoring in economics at the College of Charleston, Cameron is back at another high-profile event. This time, he is looking to help the College of Charleston defend the Leonard B. Fowle Trophy at the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association spring national championships at Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va.

The Fowle Trophy is given to the best sailing program in the country based on finishes at the five national championships during the school year. The final three national events — women’s, team and coed — will be held from May 22 to June 1.

“We are really excited for nationals. I think we are in good shape for this year,” said Cameron. “These past few weeks of nationals practice have been very beneficial, as we get to have everyone on the team get out on the water at the same time.”

In the latest Sailing World college rankings, College of Charleston coed and women’s teams were ranked No. 2 behind Yale. The Cougars were ranked No. 10 in the team race rankings.

“The key to our success has been all of our sailors really pushing to do our best,” Cameron said. “We have so many people on this team, from top to bottom, that care so much for the program and just want to be better sailors and better people. And all that can’t happen without a great coaching and support staff here at the College.”

Cameron, who was recently named a team captain for next year, and the Cougars would like to avoid the similar drama they encountered last spring. During last year’s nationals, held in Charleston, the championship came down to the final race on the final day.

The Cougars reclaimed the Fowle Trophy for the seventh time (1986, ’88, ’98, 07, ’12, ’15 and ’17). College of Charleston trails only the U.S. Naval Academy (10) and Tufts University (8) for winning the prestigious award.

“We still have some work to do, but (we) feel confident that we can make a solid push toward the nationals,” College of Charleston head coach Ward Cromwell said. “If we sail to our potential, we will certainly bring home a national championship, and make a run at the Fowle Trophy.”

Heading into this year’s spring nationals, the Cougars are in good position to make a serious run at their eighth Fowle Trophy following very successful fall and spring seasons.

In early November, senior Stefano Peschiera, one of the frontrunners for college sailor of the year, won the men’s singlehanded nationals. Charleston’s Gerald Williams finished second. In the women’s singlehanded nationals, Kelly-Ann Arrindell finished third and Marian Frances Williams was fifth.

Later in November, the College of Charleston finished second at the match race nationals in Charleston. The team was undefeated heading into the final showdown of the event.

“We couldn’t be more proud of the great year our team has enjoyed since winning the nationals and Fowle Trophy almost a year ago,” said director of sailing Greg Fisher. “Another national championship victory, and two second places in the three fall nationals again, underscores the depth of our team across all sailing disciplines.”

The College of Charleston has won the Fowle Trophy three times since Fisher joined the school in 2010.

For details on spring nationals… click here.