StarBulletin.com

UH sailor's death hits family and team hard


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POSTED: Wednesday, November 12, 2008

When the boat Peter McGonigle Wenner was sailing in capsized Saturday afternoon, the 19-year-old became entangled in its canopy, trapping him underwater for about five minutes, authorities said.

               

     

 

 

Service today

        A memorial service open to the public will be held for Peter Wenner at 5 p.m. today at the Newman Center on the UH-Manoa campus. A family service is scheduled Nov. 18 in Los Angeles.

       

       

Fellow University of Hawaii sailing team members freed the sophomore, and brought him to shore where firefighters and paramedics gave him cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

The Los Angeles native, who was admitted in critical condition, died yesterday morning at Straub Hospital.

Wenner, an accomplished sailor on the UH co-ed sailing team, was supposed to compete with his teammates this weekend at the Pacific Coast Collegiate Sailing Conference Fall Dinghy Championships in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Instead they are mourning his death.

“;It's hard for everyone and everyone is dealing with it in different ways, but the good thing is we're all bonding together,”; said teammate Jaclyn McLoughlin. “;My heart goes out to the family because it's pretty devastating.”;

Wenner was sailing recreationally Saturday afternoon with several team members on a private high-performance skiff off Waikiki when the accident happened, a UH news release said. The boat capsized about two miles offshore.

UH sailing head coach Andy Johnson said in a written news release: “;Peter represented everything good about being an athlete, sailor, and student here at the University of Hawaii. He was the heart and soul of our team and we will all miss him immensely.”;

The 6-foot tall Loyola High School graduate was a “;great guy, one of a kind,”; McLoughlin said. “;He had a quick smile. Everybody loved him. He included everyone and everything.”;

She describes him as well-rounded, “;a party guy,”; who “;loved to study. He was the best guy around.”;

Jim Donovan, UH athletic director, said: “;My heartfelt condolences go out to P.J.'s family and friends. P.J. was a loved member of the UH Athletics Department ohana. He touched so many lives at such a young age and we will miss him dearly.”;

Wenner took sixth place in September at the Pacific Coast Collegiate Sailing Conference Men's Singlehanded Championships in San Diego. He placed fifth in the same competition last season. He also competed last November with the UH team, which placed sixth at the Intercollegiate Sailing Association Sloop National Championship in Fort Worth, Texas.

Peter's brother, Matthew, is a freshman on the team.