University of Vermont Sailing Team Qualifies for First Coed Dinghy National Championship in Team History!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT:
Justin Assad
Head Coach
University of Vermont Sailing Team
m: 917.846.6852
em: jassad@uvm.edu
w: www.uvm.edu/sailing

Burlington, VT, April 14, 2008 - After a fifth place finish at this weekend's New England Dinghy Championship in Newport, RI, the University of Vermont Sailing Team is headed to college sailing's Big Dance, the Coed National Championship Eastern Semi-Finals, for the first time during the team's twenty-nine year history.

After a slow start, sophomores Clinton Hayes and Coco Solsvig charged to a third-place finish in A division, while juniors Tyler Baeder and Christine Bletzer's supporting performance in B division had the Catamounts fighting for a top-three finish until the very last B race. The Catamounts performed consistently through a range of weather in 420 dinghies in Newport, from strong steady breeze to light, fluky, current-influenced conditions, to finish in fifth place overall at the New England Conference Championship. Salve Regina University hosted the New England Championship out of Sail Newport, which is also the venue for the spring National Championship Final Round this June.

The Catamounts now head to the Semi Finals, hosted by Hobart William Smith Colleges on Seneca Lake in Geneva, NY, on April 26-27. The "Round of Thirty-Six" includes an Eastern and Western Semi-Final round, from which the top nine at each will advance to the Final Round in Newport, RI on June 2-4, 2008. Fifth is the highest finish the Catamounts have achieved at the New England Dinghy Championship, and this marks their first ever spring post-season appearance. Exceptional shore support at the New England Conference Championship was provided by alternate skipper Matt Clark 08 and "heavy crews" Steve Widdis 09 and Spencer Howe 11. In addition to their qualifying performance, the Cats recorded a 3rd place finish at the NE Sloop Qualifier at Coast Guard Academy, a 5th place finish at the Women's Joe Duplin Trophy at Boston College, and a 7th place at the Moody Trophy Intersectional at the University of Rhode Island to round out a strong weekend.

The University of Vermont Sailing Team is a club team supported by the Student Government Association at UVM. Head coach Justin Assad leads the team, who practices out of the Community Sailing Center in Burlington, and has one of the most active racing schedules in the country, attending at least seventy-five regattas per calendar year.