The women's sailing team placed fourth at the Women's Intersectional at Yale last weekend, good enough to qualify themfor the Atlantic Coast Championships.
The women's team, which has moved from seventh to sixth in national rankings,was the second highest finisher from New England in the Women's Intersectional.Navy won the race, Tufts University placed second and Charleston came in third.
"We have really strong women skippers,"Heather Melanson '97 said. "We hope we do as well as we did in this regatta and place high in Atlantic Coast."
The unranked varsity coed sailing team has also had a successsful season thus far, despite the loss of key seniors last spring..
"The varsity team is in a state of rebuilding," Coach Brian Doyle said. "We graduated three All-Americans last spring."
Seventeen varsity teams from the New England and mid-Atlantic region competed on Sept. 9-10 at the Hurst Bowl, held near Dartmouth on Lake Mascoma.
The Dartmouth team placed seventh, and Tufts, currently the number one ranked sailing team in the nation, placed first.
Doyle said "stars have not quite emerged on the team" yet.
"The team works together," Doyle said. "We focus on making everyone good."
Doyle said the team practices four hours a day at Lake Mascoma,20 minutes from Hanover. The team also spends extra time maintaining the boats.
"The team has to run the whole fair," Doyle said. "They take care of the equipment and drive themselves to meets."
The freshman sailing team will have its first meet on Sept. 24 at Dartmouth.
Ed Lalalnee '99 and Casey Hogan '99 have also sailed with the varsity team.
The fall sailing season culminates on Nov. 17-19 at the Atlantic Coast Championships, Doyle said.
"Our goal is to qualify for all three Atlantic Coast Championships and to finish in the top five," Doyle said.