The Big Green sailors had a strong set of races on Saturday. Each boat ran four races after delays caused by thick fog and a passing thunderstorm. At the end of the first day's races, Dartmouth sat in fifth place and in excellent position for Sunday's competition and a shot at qualifying for the next stage.
Sunday's races started off well for Dartmouth, but the success would not last. Both boats had three strong races to start off their day, with the A division boat capturing a first and second place finish.
However, the Big Green could not maintain its momentum. Heavy currents and shifting winds made for tricky sailing, and both boats had three disastrous races to close out the weekend. Finishing at the back of the pack for each of the last three sets, Dartmouth plummeted in the regatta standings.
Representing Dartmouth in the A division were Ben Sampson '08 and Betsy Bryant '08. The B division boat was run by Becca Dellanbaugh '10 and Sarah Johnston '09. Anne Megargel '09 subbed for Johnston in the first race.
After the last of the six races held Sunday, Dartmouth sailing had fallen to 13th place overall. In the A division, Sampson and Bryant finished ninth, while the B division crew of Dellenbaugh and Johnston fell to 14th.
Adele Wilhelm '08 explained that the team had a rough time dealing with the weather.
"We were in fifth after the four races on Saturday," Wilhelm said. "The conditions on Sunday were tough, and we had a few bad sets late in the day that hurt us. If the regatta had ended on Saturday, then we would be going to Nationals."
When asked what not qualifying means for the team, Ben Bier '10 maintained that it does not mean that the season is over.
"This is definitely not the end for our season," Bier said. "The women still have qualifications for women's Nationals left, so they will hopefully represent Dartmouth there, and the coed team still has some regattas left. We've been working hard all season, so not qualifying feels very anticlimactic, but we're hoping to take the next couple regattas and show the NEISA that were still a force to be reckoned with."
In addition to competing at the New England Dinghy Championships, Dartmouth also sent teams to race for the Duplin Trophy, the Moody Trophy, the Oberg Trophy and the Central Series.
The Duplin Trophy regatta was hosted by Boston College at the Savin Hill Yacht Club, and Dartmouth posted several strong performances. The two boats competing for the Big Green featured Wilhelm and Courtney Gerwin '11 in one boat and Kendall Reiley '09 and Kathy Oprea '10 in the other.
Wilhelm and Gerwin raced to a sixth-place finish in the A division, while Reiley and Oprea captured second in the B division. Overall, the Big Green women finished in third place in the Duplin Trophy regatta.
Bier praised his teammates on their performance in the Duplin Trophy.
"They both sailed very well, and did great to win third place," Bier said.
Next week finds the sailors splitting up and going to six different regattas. The big race will be the Women's New England Championship. Dartmouth will also have another chance to qualify for a national championship regatta when it races on the first weekend in May at the New England Team Race Championships hosted by Brown.
Bier says the team hopes to bounce back in practice.
"Hopefully we can get to the lake this week, and if we can get in some solid practices, then the women should be ready to do great next weekend," Bier said. "We're not going to take it lying down that this is the end of our season. We'll keep trying to win regattas."
