NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Stanford earned a strong result in the Yale Women's Interconference competition over the weekend, taking second overall in a field of 16. The Cardinal finished just seven points behind Harvard.
"A big key to racing today was being able to find the first shift and start on that side of the line," said assistant sailing coach Shawn Harvey. "And our execution off the starting line allowed us to do that."
Stanford got off to a slow start in the competition, taking 14th in the first A division race, but quickly found its footing, and launched to the top of the field shortly thereafter. The Cardinal moved into first in the 15th of 16 races, but Harvard took the victory in the 16th race, sealing the win.
In the A division, junior skipper Hannah Freeman and freshman crew Isabelle McNabb led the way among the entire field with 37 points, besting the eventual event champion Harvard A division pair by six points.
Freshmen Sophie Fisher and Ellie Harned took the helm of the B division and finished in third place,13 points off the leader, Harvard.
Meanwhile, in New London, Connecticut, Stanford finished 11th overall among a field of 18 teams in the Open Atlantic Coast Championships.
"The Open ACCs at Coast Guard was a humbling event for us," said head sailing coach Chris Klevan. "However, we know what we have to work on, we understand what it takes to be great and, I believe, we have the team required to make those improvements. It has to start now if we want to be at the top come May."
In the A division, Michelle Lahrkamp served as skipper while Patricia Gerli crewed, earning 14th place in the division. Wiley Rogers and AnaClare Sole combined for 13th in the B division.
Stanford returns to action next weekend in the the Women's PCCSC Championship and the Top-9 Challenge.