October 19, 2008
WC 2nd in Washington College Open
Washington Also 15th at Navy Fall Intersectional

CHESTERTOWN, MD -- The Washington College sailing team finished second of 11 teams in the Washington College Open and 15th of 20 teams at the Navy Fall Intersectional this weekend.

At the Washington College Open, senior skipper Seth Olson (Branford, CT/Branford) and junior crew Genevieve Smith (Hampstead, MD/North Carroll) were fourth in A Division, while freshman skipper Mildred Conroy (Newton, MA/Tabor Academy) and freshman crew Lauren Marks (Baltimore, MD/Friends School) placed second in B Division. Olson and Smith placed in the top five in nine of the 11 A Division races, winning one, while Conroy and Marks finished in the top five in nine of the 11 B Division races.

Third-ranked St. Mary's (MD) won the Washington College Open, while seventh-ranked Georgetown was third. Eight A Division and six B Division races were completed on Saturday in a shifty and puffy 12-knot north-northeast breeze that eased to seven knots by the afternoon. The remaining races were sailed on Sunday in a shifty and puffy 15-knot north-northeast breeze.

At the Navy Fall Intersectional, junior skipper Conner Blouin (Tampa, FL/Jesuit) skippered Washington to a second-place finish in A Division. Senior Oliver Barnyak (Washington, PA/Linsly School, WV) was Blouin's crew for the first A Division race, junior crew Krista Hankins (Bridgeton, NJ/Cumberland Regional) was his crew for races two to 12, and sophomore James Shepherd (Chicago, IL/Lincoln Park) was his crew for races 13 to 20. Washington finished in the top five in nine A Division races, winning three.

Senior skipper Derek Packard (Excelsior, MN/Breck) sailed with sophomore crew Caroline Hill (Tiverton, RI/Bishop Stang, MA) in races seven to 12 and Shepherd in races one through six to finish 12th in B Division. Sophomore Guy Tawney (Baltimore, MD/St. Paul's School) was 18th in C Division, while freshman Michael Whitford (Chicago, IL/Francis W. Parker School) finished 18th in D Division.

Third-ranked St. Mary's won the Navy Fall Intersectional, while top-ranked Boston College was second and ninth-ranked Charleston was third. Twelve races were sailed in each division on Saturday in north winds from 10 to 15 knots. The remaining races were sailed on Sunday in slightly stronger north winds.

Next weekend, the Washington College sailing team will compete at the MAISA Fall Open, hosted by Old Dominion, and the Kings Point Dinghy Open, hosted by Merchant Marine.