Cougars Advance To Final Four, Place Third at Bob Bavier Team Race

MT. PLEASANT, SC Feb. 25, 2013 – The College of Charleston sailing team compiled an 8-4 record over two days of racing to place third at the home-hosted Bob Bavier Team Race regatta held over the weekend in front of the USS Yorktown on Charleston Harbor.

The first round robin was postponed on shore until 1:45 p.m. due to the lack of wind on Saturday. The race committee completed 22 races in a flood tide and southerly winds ranging from 8-15 knots.

CofC posted a 7-2 record after the first day with wins over Eckerd College, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, the U.S. Naval Academy, South Florida, St. Mary’s College of Maryland and Stanford – to earn a berth in the Final Four.

The Cougars’ rotation included senior All-American Mac Mace (Newport Beach, Calif.) with senior crew Cory DeCollibus (Duxbury, Mass.) in races 1-3 and 5-12 and senior crew Sarah Somes (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich.) in race 4.

Senior All-American Ben Spector (Santa Clarita, Calif.) teamed with sophomore crew Ali Blumenthal (Bellport, N.Y.) in races 1-3 and 5-12 and senior crew Jeff Aschieris (Newport Beach, Calif.) in race 4, while senior Chris Banholzer (Hartland, Wis.) sailed with freshman crew Seppie McAdams (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) in races 2, 5-12 and senior crew Brooks Clark (Newport Beach, Calif.) in races 1, 3 and 4.

Decreasing clouds and sunshine made for great racing on Sunday as four races were completed using the Cooper River Cross Current Double Modified Port Triangle in a strong ebb tide and a northwesterly ranging from 8-12 knots.

Stanford won a sail-off with Navy for the last remaining seed in the Final Four. One round robin was completed and a second was attempted, but not before the sea breeze killed our northerly. The Cougars defeated the Cardinal, but fell to first-place Georgetown (10-2) and second-place Yale (10-2).

Up next, CofC will compete in four regattas this coming weekend at the Eckerd Intersectional hosted by Eckerd College on March 2-3 in St. Petersburg, Fla., the Graham Hall Team Race hosted by the U.S. Naval Academy on March 2-3 in Annapolis, Md., the North Points #2 regatta on March 2 hosted by Clemson in Clemson, S.C., and the home-hosted Charleston Women’s Intersectional on March 2-3 at the J. Stewart Walker Sailing Complex in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

2013 BOB BAVIER TEAM RACE FINAL RESULTS

1. Georgetown (10-2)*

2. Yale (10-2)*

3. College of Charleston (8-4)

4. Stanford (7-5)

5. Navy (5-4)

6. St. Mary’s College of Maryland (4-5)

7. USF (4-5)

8T. Eckerd (1-8)

8T. Miami (1-8)

8T. Michigan (1-8)