CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Roger Williams University Sailing team capped off a successful fall regular season with a win at the Atlantic Coast Championship, the largest regatta of the fall.
On Saturday, the sailors enjoyed optimal sailing conditions, with breeze ranging from 8-17 knots from the west-southwest on the Charles River Basin. Overall, 12 races were able to be sailed on the day. On Sunday, though the conditions were not as cooperative as the previous day, six races were still able to be raced in south-southwest breeze hovering between 5-14 knots.
The Hawks got off to a strong start over the first few races, taking a 70-78 lead over Dartmouth College after the first six races. A tough performance in the seventh race helped Dartmouth overtake the Hawks, but RWU would come back strong in the eighth and ninth races to take a one-point lead (106-107). The Hawks would then close the day out in dominating fashion, holding a 134-157 lead over Brown University to end Saturday. Roger Williams would never be seriously threatened over the rest of the regatta, claiming a lead of at least 26 over the course of Sunday en route to the 43-point win.
At A Division, Sean Bouchard (Bermuda), Kelly Stannard (Salem, Conn.), and Jake Bartlein (Santa Barbara, Calif.) tallied 148 points for a sixth place finish at the division. The three combined for five finishes of third place or better, including wins in the 14th and 17th races. At B Division, Alec Anderson (Tortola, BVI) Sophie Bellacosa (Winchester, Mass.), and Tyler Wilson (Hopkinton, Mass.) combined for the win at their division with 73 points, 21 better than second-place Dartmouth. The three finished tenth or better in every race but two, combining for five wins, three runner-up placings, and three third-place finishes.
The Hawks close out the regular of the season with the ACC Championship and a ranking of fourth in the nation. This weekend, Roger Williams will be competing in the ICSA Sloop National Championships in San Francisco, Calif.
