Tuesday, May 29, 2001
[SAILING]
It might be expected that the University of Hawaii sailing team would qualify for the championships of the Intercollegiate Sailing Association of North America. Hawaii to participate
in 3 title races
By Grace Wen
Star-BulletinAfter all, Hawaii can practice almost year-round, whereas other schools depend on the compliance of Mother Nature.
But what is unique about this season is that Hawaii is one of only seven schools in the 27-team field that qualified for all three races.
The ICSA championship, which is jointly hosted by Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, opens today on the Charles River in Boston.
The Women's championship begins today and runs through Thursday. The coed team championship follows on June 3-5. And the Dinghy National Championship will be hosted by the University of Rhode Island on June 6-8.
UH sailing coach Andy Johnson says that this year's team ranks among one of the strongest he's coached during his 11 years at the helm.
"They're right up there with the best," Johnson said. "It's the best opportunity for the women (to win) for sure. Each of the three teams has a legitimate chance of hanging in the top three until the final day."
Hawaii dominated the Pacific Coast Championships last month, winning all three races.
All-American and two-time team Most Inspirational Player Molly O'Brien leads the nine-member team that includes seven women and two men.
O'Brien was named to the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate Yacht Racing Association sailing team, along with senior skippers Josh Henrich and Brent Harrill and crew members Jennifer Warnock and Sarah Hitchcock. Junior Melody Torres and freshmen Marin Diskant, Renee DeCurtis and Ann Feeley-Summerl round out the UH roster.
Notes: Hawaii will host the 2002 national championship for the first time at the Sailing Marine Center on Sand Island. Collegiate sailing is divided into seven districts across the nation. Nationals rotates each year among the districts. ... The Wahine are ranked fifth and the coed team is ninth in the last Sailing World magazine poll.
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
