Dartmouth sailors Casey Hogan '99 and Heather Melanson '97 and Dartmouth sailing coach Brian Doyle have been chosen to participate in the 1996 U.S./Japan Goodwill Regatta.
This annual regatta, which began in 1990, pits the best sailors from the U.S. and Japan against each other year after year at alternating sites.
Hogan and Melanson were notified last week that they had been selected to be among 46 sailors traveling in the fall to Tokyo. Both were All-American sailors for the Dartmouth women's team this year.
Being All-American sailors was a primary criterion for selection to the event, Doyle said.
"I really wanted to [go] and I knew I had a good chance but I was kind of surprised," Hogan said. "I was an All-American so that helped but this year they didn't allow anyone who had sailed in [the regatta] before so that weeded out some of the older people."
The Big Green celebrated their third consecutive third-place finish at the national collegiate championships under the coaching of Doyle.
Doyle is one of four U.S. coaches chosen to accompany head coach Michael Segerblom of the University of Southern California.
According to Doyle, 20 different U.S. educational institutions will be represented in Japan out of the 200 that compete in the U.S..
"The sole purpose of these games is for the Japanese to compete against the Americans," Doyle said. "They are trying to learn how to sail and compete against the top level in the world."
Applications were sent to the organizers of the event in June, Doyle said.
"We weren't sure [we would be accepted] because there is always a lot of people that apply," he said. "There is a big waiting list to get in. We were chosen because of the success of this year."
Doyle, Hogan and Melanson will head to Los Angeles on Nov. 23 to meet with the rest of the U.S. team. Their trip will end on Dec. 1 after a week of sight-seeing and three days of racing against the Japanese collegiate teams.
Four Dartmouth sailors -- Carrey Clifford '95, Whitney Connor '95, Chris McDowel '94 and Brandon Prior '95 -- previously attended the event in 1994.
"I am very excited," Doyle said. "It seems like it is going to be a lot of fun. We have to get ready to go there and perform."
"We will be sailing in different boats so it should be interesting," Hogan said. "I think it's going to be a lot of work but ... I always really wanted to go to it."
Melanson was unavailable for comment.
