January 5, 2004
WC Sailors 4th at Rose Bowl Regatta

LONG BEACH, CA -- The 15th-ranked Washington College sailing team finished fourth of 20 teams this weekend at the Rose Bowl Regatta, hosted by the University of Southern California. Sixteenth-ranked Stanford won the regatta, followed by eighth-ranked host USC in second and second-ranked Dartmouth in third. Washington finished one point out of third place and four out of second.

Junior Colin Robertson (Annapolis, MD/St. Mary's) and freshman Vanessa Anderson (Narragansett, RI/The Prout School) represented WC in A Division, finishing fourth. Sophomore Carl Horrocks (Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Pleasant Boro), junior Chad Hillyer (Summit, NJ/Morristown-Beard) and junior Halle Ricker (Traceys Landing, MD/St. Mary's) finished third in B Division.

There was plenty of wind the first day, following a full day of rain Friday, but not enough Sunday to complete the 15 scheduled rounds. The races were run on the protected inner bay, where the harbormaster's headquarters flew a red Small Craft Advisory flag all the first day as a chilling northeasterly wind of 15 knots gusting to 20 whistled through the rigging of the little boats. Capsizes were common, and the sailors soon learned that the 57-degree water was as cold as the breeze. Sunday remained cool but with no wind. The boats remained beached for more than two hours before a bright sun got enough air moving to run just a few races.

The WC sailing team opens its Spring season February 28th and 29th when it hosts a MAISA Team Race.