ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Stanford is in 12th place among an 18-team field after the first day of competition Thursday at the Sperry Top-Sider Women’s Nationals.
The Cardinal posted 197 points in 10 races across two divisions and trail first-place Yale by 87 points. It was a bumpy day of competition for Stanford which registered results ranging as high as fourth place and as low as 18th.
Sarah Mace and Samantha Steele logged 107 points in division-A to finish 12th in the field. The duo recorded six top-10 finishes in 10 races. Mace and Steele found their rhythm in races four through six, earning two eighth-place finishes and a sixth-place result. However, their momentum was halted in the seventh stanza when they placed 18th.
The duo rebounded quickly with a sixth-place finish in the eighth race but again faced adversity in the ninth when it placed 16th. Mace and Steele finished strong with a sixth-place finish in the final heat.
Molly McKinney and Yuri Namikawa earned a seventh-place finish in division-B with a 90 points. The pair notched seven top-10 finishes, including two in the top-five.
McKinney and Namikawa came ready to sail and opened the competition with a sixth-place showing. After a 12th-place result in the second heat, the duo earned a fifth-, 10th-, and ninth-place finishes in the following races.
McKinney and Namikawa had their strongest showing in the eighth race, earning a fourth-place result. Following an 18th-place finish in the ninth race, the pair finished the day strong with a ninth-place result in the final heat.
Stanford will look to close the gap and move up the leaderboard as racing continues Friday. Live updates can be followed via collegesailing.org.