By Katie Weida
Sports Editor
On April 3rd, the Washington College sailing team won the 10-school MAISA Central Qualifier by a 26-point margin, winning in both A and B Division. In A Division, junior skipper Mike Whitford and senior crew Caroline Hill sailed the first six races winning the first, fourth, fifth, and sixth races. In B Division, junior skipper Mildred Conroy and sophomore crew Matt Lawler sailed the first six races and won the first, fourth, and sixth.
After a spectacular performance this past Sunday, the WC sailing team finished eighth out of 18 schools at the America Trophy, the MAISA Co-Ed Dinghy Spring Championships at St. Mary’s College. This come-from-behind finish qualified WC for the ICSA Co-Ed Dinghy National Semifinals for the fourth year in a row.
Conroy who sailed with sophomore crew Matt Lawler and freshman Sam Fitzgerald finished sixth in B Division. Conroy skippered WC to top-six finishes in 10 of the division’s 17 races, including seven of the 10 Sunday races in the division.
Junior skipper Mike Whitford placed 10th in A Division along with senior crew Max Kurland and sophomore Sam Bedinger. Whitford helped lead WC to seven top-10 finished in nine races on Sunday after finishing in the top 10 in just two of the eight A Division races Saturday.
Third-ranked Georgetown won the America Trophy, followed by sixth-ranked St. Mary’s in second and eighth-ranked Navy in third.
The WC sailing team will finish their regular season this weekend when they compete in the Admiral Cup, hosted by Merchant Marine.
The weekend of April 30 they will travel to Long Beach, CA to compete in the ICSA Co-Ed Dinghy National Semifinals.
April 22, 2011
Volume LXXXI Issue 23