Nov. 19, 2008
Santa Barbara, Calif.- The Stanford sailing team solidified their position atop the Pacific Coast College Sailing Conference this past weekend with a convincing win in the 2008 PCCSC Fall Championship. The regatta, hosted by UC Santa Barbara, comprised of 23 teams, including the second place nationally-ranked St. Mary's College of Maryland. The Cardinal won the event with impressive finishes over a range of conditions throughout the weekend's 16 races in each of the three divisions. The win marked the team's fourth Pacific Coast Championship of the possible five this fall season.
The sailors battled high temperatures and dry air both Saturday and Sunday, but were lucky enough to miss the Tea Fires of the previous 48 hours. Saturday's racing began in a consistent southwesterly breeze that clocked into the west and further throughout the day. In what became a long day of racing, the Cardinal sailors remained consistent and kept themselves in the hunt. After eight races in each of the three divisions Stanford was in 2nd place, one point behind host UCSB.
Cole <!>Hatton |
Apparently harnessing the power of the women's win just a week before, the team had a true "Cardinal Sunday," as termed by Coach Vandemoer. With surefire consistency, the sailors finished no worse than sixth in any of their races on the final day. The lead became insurmountable for the eventual second place St. Mary's and third place UCSB. In the end, Stanford walked away with the event by a staggering 46-point margin.
In all of the divisions, the Stanford sailors showed their hard work in practice all season had paid off. In A division, sophomore Cole Hatton and senior Kelly McKenna finished with a mere 33 points in 16 races to claim the division by nearly 50 points. In B division, fresh off their win at the women's fall champs, senior Taylor Grimes and sophomore Hayley Tobin sailed a consistent series to finish with 49 points, only 9 points out of first. In the single-handed C division, freshman Nick Dugdale rebounded from an up and down first day to finish in third. The win was truly a team effort worthy of recognition.
On top of winning the Varsity event, Stanford took both the first and second spots in the JV event.
Taylor<!> Grimes |
Up next for the Stanford sailing team is the ultra-competitive Rose Bowl regatta hosted by USC in the beginning of January. That is, of course, following a much-deserved break.
1 Stanford 164
2 St Mary's 210
3 UC Santa Barbara 215
4 Cal Maritime Academy 309
5 U Hawaii 320
6 UC Irvine 324
7 USC 380
8 UC Berkeley 400
9 U Oregon 480
10 U Washington 534