October 18, 2009
#8 WC Competes at Navy Fall, WC Open
Washington 17th at Navy Fall, 9th in WC Open

CHESTERTOWN, MD -- The eighth-ranked Washington College sailing team finished 17th of 20 teams at the Navy Fall Intersectional, a four-division regatta, and ninth of 13 teams in the Washington College Open this weekend.

At the Navy Fall Intersectional, sophomore skipper Mike Whitford (Chicago, IL/Francis W. Parker School) and junior crew Caroline Hill (Tiverton, RI/Bishop Stang, MA) led Washington with a seventh-place finish in B Division. Whitford and Hill finished in the top five in seven of the division's 20 races, including first-place finishes in the 10th and 15th races. Senior skipper Conner Blouin (Tampa, FL/Jesuit) sailed with freshman crew Matt Lawler (Alexandria, VA/Christchurch School) and junior crew Max Kurland (Sharon, CT/Hotchkiss School) to post a 15th-place finish in A Division. Lawler sailed in the first six races and the eighth through 12th races, while Kurland sailed in the seventh A Division race and the final eight races. Sophomore Mildred Conroy (Newton, MA/Tabor Academy) was 18th in C Division, while freshman Amanda Anastasia (Boston, MA/Boston Latin School) finished 19th in D Division.

Fourteen of the current top 20 co-ed teams in the nation competed in the Navy Fall Intersectional. Fifth-ranked Roger Williams won the regatta by 64 points, followed by third-ranked Georgetown in second and fourth-ranked Brown in third. Twelve races sailed in each division on Saturday in northerly winds of 6-14 knots. The remaining races were sailed on Sunday in a 5-15 knot north-northwest breeze.

At the Washington College Open, freshman skipper Sam Bedinger (Richmond, VA/St. Christopher's) and freshman crew Emily Fetherston (Exeter, RI/Lincoln School) were 10th in A Division, while senior skipper Genevieve Smith (Hampstead, MD/North Carroll) and senior crew John MacLellan (Catonsville, MD/Catonsville) finished eighth in B Division. Bedinger and Fetherston's highest finish was a third place in the seventh A Division race. Smith and MacLellan's best finish was a fourth-place finish in the first B Division race.

Thirteenth-ranked Navy won the Washington College Open, followed by Princeton in second and Maryland in third.

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