April 5, 2009
Washington Wins St. Francis Intersectional
Second Co-Ed Intersectional Regatta Win in Program History

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- The Washington College sailing team's second trip to the west coast this spring proved to be an historic one as the team won a co-ed intersectional regatta for the second time in program history, finishing first of 32 teams at the St. Francis Intersectional this weekend in San Francisco.

The 32-fleet field at the regatta was comprised of 22 co-ed teams and 10 women's teams. The women's teams were scored both as part of the co-ed regatta and separately as a women's regatta. Washington's 94 points gave the WC sailors a 13-point cushion over 11th-ranked Stanford, which finished with 107 points. UC Santa Barbara was third with 123 points. Other nationally-ranked co-ed teams in the regatta included fifth-ranked Charleston, which finished fifth, and fourth-ranked St. Mary's, which finished ninth. Nationally-ranked women's teams at the regatta included seventh-ranked Old Dominion, which finished sixth overall, and 10th-ranked Stanford, which finished 14th overall.

Washington finished second in both A and B Division. Junior skipper Conner Blouin (Tampa, FL/Jesuit) and senior skipper Seth Olson (Branford, CT/Branford) sailed in A Division, while senior skipper Derek Packard (Excelsior, MN/Breck) and junior crew John MacLellan (Catonsville, MD/Catonsville) finished just two points out of first place in B Division.

Blouin and Olson finished 14th, first, eighth, second, 17th, second, third, and fifth in the eight A Division races. The first six A Division races sailed on Saturday and the final two were on Sunday. Packard and MacLellan finished 11th in the first B Division race and suffered a breakdown in the second. They were then fourth and ninth in the next two races. The final four B Division races sailed on Sunday and Packard and MacLellan excelled, taking first place in the fifth, seventh, and eighth races. They were 10th in the sixth race.

Saturday's races were sailed in 70 degree weather with a five-knot northwesterly. A lack of wind held off Sunday's races until after lunch when a 3-6 knot northerly filled in.

Washington's previous first-place finish in a co-ed intersectional came at the 2003 Anderson Trophy held September 6th and 7th, 2003.

The Washington College sailing team will compete at the Captain Prosser Trophy, the MAISA Team Race Championships, next weekend at Georgetown.