It's funny how Harvard's least-publicized sports often tend to be among its best.

The Harvard sailing team tops even the squash team for low campus profile. Even with three returning All-Americans, it does not rate a spot on the official Harvard Athletics web site, a privilege even the Alpine and Nordic ski teams enjoy.

Yet this fall, the Harvard sailing team has the opportunity to assert itself as one of the top programs in the nation. It looks to build off an impressive 1998-99 campaign, in which Crimson sailors captured the women's single-handed championship and took third place in the men's.

The fall and spring seasons emphasize different aspects of sailing. The autumn season places more of a focus on the individual, as it is highlighted by a series of national championship regattas--men's and women's single-handed and sloops.

Harvard has traditionally specialized in the single-handed competitions to the relative exclusion of sloop racing, and should prove to be a force this season.

Despite graduating two All-Americans--skipper Peter Strothman and crew Brian Fox--the team still has three more All-Americans on the roster and a very promising recruiting class.

"I think we are looking good for this season," co-captain Sarah Levin said. "We lost two of our five All-Americans, but we've had a lot of good recruits the past two years."

The women's team will be lead by perhaps the most talented sailor in the nation, sophomore skipper Margaret Gill. Gill garnered All-American honors as a freshman by capturing the women's single-handed championship.

"Gill had an amazing year," Levin said. "She won the women's single-handed nationals, which is just unbelievable for a freshman."