March 7, 2007

Redwood City, Calif. - Over the weekend, Stanford's top team racers, team Captain Brian Haines and Kelly McKenna, Emery Wager and Leigh Hammel, Edward Conrad and Becca Levin, competed against stiff competition from the East and West coasts at the McIntyre Team Race Intersectional, hosted by Stanford. Six teams of the ten teams who raced are ranked in the top 20 - St. Mary's College of Maryland (2), University of Southern California (5), University of California at Irvine (9), Stanford (10), University of South Florida (11), and University of Hawaii (18).

On Saturday, there was a short postponement due to lack of breeze until 11 am. Stanford started strong, solidly defeating the University of Washington, the University of South Florida, the University of Hawaii with 1-2-3 combinations round the weather mark. In the Cardinal's fourth race of the day against #2 St. Mary's College of Maryland, the Cardinal faltered. The Cardinal led around the weather mark with 1-3, but the race quickly became condensed in the light air, and the Seahawks were able to capitalize. St. Mary's converted in to a 2-3-4 on the run pushing Haines/McKenna and Wager/Hammel in 5th and 6th, then managed to take over Conrad/Levin on the last beat to finish with a 1-3-4. Stanford bounced back to beat the University of California at Irvine with a 1-2. 19 races of the round robin were sailed before the breeze shut off for the day. Stanford capped the day with four wins and 1 loss.

A Pacific high left race officials with no breeze on Sunday morning, leaving competitors postponed ashore to enjoy the plentiful sun and warmer temperatures. Finally, a light Northeasterly breeze wafted in at round 2 pm and the race committee was able to squeeze in the rest of the round robin. The Card was victorious in the remaining four races. Taylor Grimes and Katherine Schlosser subbed in for the races against Northwestern and Old Dominion University. With only one loss to St. Mary's, Stanford finished 2nd with an 8-1 record.

The McIntyre Team Race is named for Jeremy McIntyre '94, Stanford Sailing alum, who was killed in an avalanche while skiing in '99. On-water umpires calling the action were; Bryan McDonald (Chief Umpire), Sloan Devlin, Matt Hooks, Holt Condon, Sally Madsen, Colin Merrick, John Pearce, John Christman, Glenn Oliver, Tom Roberts, Nick Adamson, Molly O'Brien Vandemoer. Thanks to Stanford Crew for helping us supply enough motor boats for the umpires! Races were held in two fleets of FJ's and one of 420's and collegiate digitals Ns were sailed.

FINAL RESULTS

1. St. Marys - 9-0
2. Stanford - 8-1
3. UCIrvine - 6-3
4. USC - 6-3
5. UHawaii - 5-4
6. Navy - 5-4
7. USouth Florida - 3-6
8. Old Dominion - 2-7
9. UWash - 1-8
10. Northwestern - 0-9