Traveling from one coast to the other, the Georgetown coed sailing team took to the waters off Long Beach, Calif., for the annual Rose Bowl Regatta on Jan. 3 and 4. Against a competitive field, the Hoyas posted a fifth-place finish overall, improving on last year’s eighth-place finish in the same event.
Sailing in good conditions, but with light winds on Sunday, the team of seniors, skipper Tyler Haskell and crew Emilie Lincoln finished second in the A-division, just behind Stanford, to pick up 45 points. In the B-division, senior skipper Derek Webster and junior crew Megan O’Neill finished in sixth place and received 59 points, giving the Hoyas 104 points overall. Scores were low for the event because of a lack of wind on Sunday morning. Of the scheduled 15 rounds, only eight were completed.
“Tyler and Emilie have been our best boat all year long,” said Head Coach Mike Callahan (SFS ’97). “Derek and Megan could have sailed better, but they also sailed well.”
Overall, Stanford was able to pick up first place in the regatta with 87 points, followed by the host team from the University of Southern California (93), Dartmouth (97) and Washington College of aryland (97). Stanford also won the Rose Bowl Regatta last year.
“A top three finish could have been achievable,” said Callahan, “but I am happy with top five.”
The Georgetown coed sailing team at the end of 2003 was ranked 12th in the nation by the Sailing World College Rankings. Of the teams that placed higher than the Hoyas in the regatta, both Washington College and Stanford were ranked lower, at 15th and 16th, respectively. Dartmouth and USC, the other two teams that defeated Georgetown, were ranked at seconnd and eighth at the end of the year.
This spring Georgetown will return two of its best sailors, sophomore Andrew Campbell and junior Cordo Carraher, who both missed the fall season. Campbell was in San Diego training for the 2004 Olympic team and Carraher was studying abroad. The return of these athletes will add depth to the Georgetown roster as they compete this spring, culminating with the National Championships in June.
The Hoyas next race on Feb. 14 and 15 at the Charleston’s Women’s Intersectional at the College of Charleston.
