Rose, Williams Earn SAISA Sailors of the Week at ICSA Singlehanded Nationals
Weekend 9 is National Championship weekend for three key concentrations in college sailing, men's singlehand, women's singlehand, and offshore. Great conditions and big waves greeted Laser sailors on Lake Michigan on Saturday, with Sunday bringing solid breeze and flat water to both the Women's Singlehanded National Championships, and the Men's Singlehanded National Championships, hosted in Holland, Michigan by Grand Valley State University and Hope College. After a 7-6-8 to start the event, Jacksonville University's Charlotte Rose went on a tear at Women's Singehanded Nationals and by the fifth race was tied for first, dialing in mostly ones and twos for the remainder of the regatta including a streak of firsts and seconds for the final six races of the regatta. Rose continued battling it out with Stanford's Christina Sakellaris and Boston College's Sophia Reineke for top spot on the day. Rose outperformed eventual regatta-winner Sakellaris 2:1 over the final six races in the event, but fell just one point short of the tiebreaker (which she would have won!). That showing definitely earned Rose several nominations and this week's recognition as SAISA Women's Sailor of the Week.
In co-ed sailing, SAISA men were racing Lasers on Lake Michigan and the College of Charleston offshore team was carrying the torch at the Kennedy Cup, however Cougars' Gerald Williams earned this week's SAISA Co-Ed Sailor of the Week with a strong showing at Men's Singlehanded Nationals, also held in Holland, Michigan. Williams secured a strong 7th place overall finish with consistent improvement race to race, and several podium finishes in races throughout the two-day regatta.
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About the SAISA Sailors of the Week
Each week of the season, we’ll recognize outstanding performances by sailors across SAISA, as well as by SAISA sailors in competition out of conference. The selection process includes a nomination period each week ending on Sunday. A committee of SAISA coaches from both divisions selects sailors from the nominations received and will announce the SAISA Sailors of the Week early each week following the close of the nomination period. If you’d like to submit a nomination, email the sailor’s name, school, position, and what events or circumstances they demonstrated outstanding performance to SAISAsotw@gmail.com. Nominations close on Sunday at midnight EST and selections will be based on performances for the preceding week and that weekend. Selection categories may include co-ed skipper, co-ed crew, women’s skipper, women’s crew. Pairings or individual sailors may be nominated or selected.
For more information, visit the SAISA website at www.saisasailing.com/sotw