Crimson Leads the Pack at ICSA Team Race NAs
Crimson Leads the Pack at ICSA Team Race NAs
Yesterday’s tie between team race powerhouses Harvard University and defending champion Georgetown University was broken when they faced off in Day Two of the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association Team Race NAs. The result puts the Crimson in the lead with an 11 wins — no loss record. Having lost only their race against Harvard, the Georgetown University Hoyas are in second place with a 10 to 1 record. Tomorrow, Harvard and Georgetown will face the Tufts University Jumbos (9 to 2) and the College of Charleston Cougars (8 to 3) in addition to each other in a final round for the teams with the four best records. The team with the best win-loss record wins the event. One round robin has been completed, with each of the 12 teams having sailed 11 races.
Last year, Harvard placed second in the event. 2002 could mark the first Crimson victory at the ICSA Team Race NAs in school history. In an interview with Derek Webster, Harvard coach Bern Noack, of Belmont, Mass., said “The race against Georgetown was a slug-fest and we got a little bit of luck to pull it out. I’d say it was fifty-percent luck and fifty-percent good sailing.” Crimson sailors are returning All-Americans senior skipper Seaon Doyle, of St. Petersburg, Fla., junior skipper Clay Bischoff, of Miami, Fla. They are joined by sophomore skipper Cardwell Potts, of New Orleans, La. Returning All-American crews are junior Michelle Yu, of Mountain View, Calif., and senior Susan Bonney, of Westford, Mass. Junior Lema Kikuchi, of Bethesda, Md., is making her debut at ICSA Team Race NAs.
According to Hoyas coach Mike Callahan, of Washington, D.C., who said in an interview with Derek Webster, “We sailed well today. We had Harvard down with a 1-2-3, but the breeze died and filled from behind, allowing them to turn the 4-5-6 into a winning combination.” Skippering for the Hoyas are seniors and returning All-Americans Brian Bissell, of Newport Beach, Calif., and Ken Ward, of Tampa, Fla. They are joined by sophomore skipper Tyler Haskell, of Newport Beach, Calif. Crews have been Alex Holtan, of Larchmont, N.Y., Kat Penberthy, of Rowayton, Conn., Melanie Wood, of Seattle, Wash., sophomore Eliza Ryan, of Marblehead, Mass., freshman Barbara Hall, of Marion, Mass., and returning All-American senior Leah Williams, of South Dartmouth, Mass.
Conditions were challenging and wind shifted dramatically in both speed and direction. Puffs of up to 15 knots roared over the racecourse, when, in a given moment, a windless lull would set in.
For complete results, visit www.collegesailing.org
