Cougars Dominate SAISA Match Race, Qualify For Nationals

Saturday, October 22

J. Stewart Walker Sailing Complex

All Day

College of Charleston

SAISA Match Race

Cougars Dominate SAISA Match Race, Qualify For Nationals

10/23/2016 8:26:00 PM | Sailing

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The fifth-ranked College of Charleston sailing team raced to a dominating win at the SAISA Match Race Saturday to qualify for the Match Race National Championship in San Diego, Calif., as the women's team finished eighth at the 2016 Mrs. Hurst Bowl in Dartmouth, N.H.

Junior skipper Christophe Killian (Newport Beach, Calif.) and his crew of junior Jack Thompson (Newport Beach, Calif.), senior Howie Meyers (Bellport, N.Y.) and freshman Laura Masterson (Kemah, Texas) made easy work of Saturday's three rounds, and navigated a dynamic northwest breeze ranging from 6-14 knots on the Cooper River to finish first out of four teams.

The Cougars now advance to the Match Race National Championship alongside second-place University of South Florida.

In Hanover, N.H., Charleston finished eighth out of 17 teams at the Mrs. Hurst Bowl, with 16 races completed over the course of two days across two divisions. The Cougars finished the weekend with 273 points – five behind seventh place and host Dartmouth, and 13 points ahead of ninth-place Harvard.

Sophomore Caroline Bracken (Bridgewater, Mass.) and junior Elizabeth Pemberton (Osterville, Mass.) split time with junior skipper Paris Henken (Coronado, Calif.) to finish 11^th in A-Division with 165 points. Freshman skipper Alie Toppa teamed with Bracken and sophomore crew Annabel Carrington (White Stone, Va.) to place fifth in B-Division with 108 points.

Next weekend, the Cougars will travel to Jacksonville, Fla. For the SAISA Fall Coed on Oct. 29 and 30, and will host the Witches Brew Offshore at the J. Stewart Walker Sailing Complex on Oct. 30.