Sailing the seas

The UW Sailing Team hopes to keep its winning streak alive as it competes in three different national championship regattas in the coming months.

May 23-25

ICSA Women's Nationals

May 27-29

Team Racing Nationals

May 31- June 1

Co-ed Nationals

The Women's National Championship will be the first regatta. It will take place in Norfolk, Va., this weekend. Co-ed and team (men- or women-specific teams) racing is planned May 27 [HTML_REMOVED] June 1 in Annapolis, Md.

In order for the team to qualify for nationals, it had to place first at three different Northwest District championships, one for each division.

Freshman sailor Hannah Darrin, said team-racing qualifiers was the least stressful of the three.

"Team racing involves three boats from one team up against three boats from another team," she said. "Western, Oregon and [Oregon State University] each have two good skipper and crew teams, but are lacking a third, and this is where UW pulls ahead."

Paul Stewart, the team captain, said the team has been working hard to qualify for nationals.

"We practiced hard all year and then put it all together at our qualifiers," he said. "At the beginning of the season, I was nervous because all the other schools were sailing fast and we had a couple losses where we should have easily won. I feel like we worked extra hard this spring to make sure we stayed on top."

Qualifying in all three possible divisions rewarded all the hard work. However, even with its success, the team is not considered a varsity sport.

Washington will be one of only three schools at nationals competing as a non-varsity sport. This means that most of the team expenses come from the students themselves.

"Nearly all the big California schools and most of the East Coast schools are varsity, and it makes a huge difference in the quality of the program," Stewart said. "Not only do they have lots of equipment and full-time coaching, but can also require the type of commitment that we as a club sport can only pretend to imitate."

Since the team is not a varsity sport, it does not receive the funds needed in order to travel across the country and compete against the high-ranked schools they will see at nationals.

Darin recognized this as a problem.

"We will only become as good as our best competition, so with better competition we will become a stronger team," she said.

Stewart also realized that there is a lack of intensity in the sailing caliber in the Northwest.

"In our district, there are a few really good sailors and then a lot of people who may just be starting sailing for the first time," he said. "It's less intense and more aimed at having a good time."

Although this is a high-caliber competition, the team is really looking forward to competing. Some members have been to nationals before, while this will be the first time for others.

Stewart feels a sense of pride in qualifying for nationals.

"I'm really glad we qualified and excited for the chance to sail at nationals," he said. "Ever since I can remember, UW has always qualified, and it feels good maintaining the status quo."

Reach reporter Shannon O'Hara at sports@thedaily.washington.edu.