Charleston Battles Challenging Conditions at Singlehanded Nationals, Kennedy Cup

Saturday, November 3

Grand Rapids, Mich.

ALL DAY

College of Charleston

ICSA Singlehanded National Championships

Photo by: Michael Wiser

Charleston Battles Challenging Conditions at Singlehanded Nationals, Kennedy Cup

11/5/2018 12:12:00 PM | Sailing

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. --- The College of Charleston sailing team endured challenging conditions and tremendous competition at both the Kennedy Cup and the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) Men's and Women's Singlehanded National Championships on Saturday and Sunday, with senior Gerald Williams (Sai Kung, Hong Kong, China) posting the Cougars' top finish of seventh at the ICSA Men's Singlehanded National Championship.

Williams fought through lumpy conditions and a talented field to finish seventh at the ICSA Men's Singlehanded National Championship with 92 points. The 2017 runner-up placed amongst the top-five in six of the 14 rotations, and finished the two-regatta 15 points off the podium. Sophomore Benn Smith (Bermuda) placed 11^th in the regatta with 144 points, including a race victory in the eight rotation.

Kelly-Ann Arrindell (Port-of-Spain, Trinidad) finished eighth at the ICSA Women's Singlehanded National Championships after spending much of the weekend within striking distance of the top three. The junior posted a trio of top-five finishes to end the regatta with 103 points.

The Cougars closed the weekend with 30 points and a seventh-place performance at the Kennedy Cup. After strong winds on Saturday, conditions proved to be far less favorable to racing on Sunday which resulted in the seven-rotation regatta behind shortened to five races. Charleston's best finish of the weekend came in race four with a second-place showing.

Sailing for the Cougars at the Kennedy Cup were: senior driver William Comerford (Annapolis, Md.), senior main William Hundahl (Marblehead, Mass.), junior primary Sam Tobio (Sarasota, Fla.), senior secondary Sarah Wilkinson (Mystic, Conn.), sophomore pit Emily Essi (Cleveland, Ohio), junior mast Key Becker, sophomore bow Burke Anvari (Westport, Conn.), senior squirrel Franny Schulte (Birmingham, Mich.), and junior alternate Jordan Wiggins (York, S.C.).

The Cougars will set sail in their final regatta of the fall season on November 16-18 when they travel to Newport Beach, Calif. for the ICSA Match Race National Championship.