SMITH TROPHY
In college sailing’s largest regatta, the Crimson co-eds were able to keep pace, finishing 13th in a field of 26 schools representing most of New England college sailing.
Harvard sailed the regatta, hosted by MIT, without its top tandems, instead giving some of its less-experienced sailors a chance to test the waters.
“It was definitely an opportunity to gain some experience,” junior skipper Colin Santangelo said. “It’s a pretty high-level regatta, and it’s pretty important that we did well. There was a little more pressure on us than usual.”
Santangelo and freshman crew Sarah McCuskee tied for ninth in the A division, matching Roger Williams with 74 points. The pair started the weekend strong, finishing sixth and second in the first two races, but faded later in the shifty conditions.
“Saturday was really rainy, and the rain has a tendency to kill off the breeze a little bit—it was lighter than it would have been otherwise,” Santangelo said. “It was shifty because it was coming off all the buildings in Boston, and it was hard to predict the wind shifts.”
Sailing in the B division for Harvard was the tandem of freshman skipper Ryan Byrne and senior crew Michelle Konstadt. The pair was 14th among B boats with 111 points.
Byrne and Konstadt cracked the top 10 twice, recording a fourth and fifth-place finish over Saturday’s nine races.
Rhode Island handily won the regatta, besting runner-up Connecticut by 20 points.
CENTRAL SERIES FOUR
Harvard also sent a co-ed contingent to the local-level Central Series Four regatta, hosted by Tufts. The Crimson placed ninth out of 11 teams, amassing 257 points.
Roger Williams’ top quartet won the event with 73 points.
Senior Alex Bick skippered the A boat, which placed 17th out of 22 competing boats. Sophomore Julia van der Vink served as his crew for the first seven races, with freshman Jin Zang stepping in for the final race.
Harvard’s B boat was right behind in 18th place. Freshman Sam Millham was the skipper, while sophomore William White took on crew duties. The B pair’s ninth-place finish in the regatta’s final race was the only time a Crimson boat placed in the top 10.
—Staff writer Kate Leist can be reached at kleist@fas.harvard.edu.