The Antilles High School sailing team placed fourth in the Interscholastic Sailing Association’s Baker National Championship, which took place Saturday and Sunday in Anacortes, Washington.
After the first day of racing, Antilles was tied for second and finished up Sunday afternoon in a three-way tie for fourth, according to a news release from the school.
Antilles qualified for the competition after winning the South Atlantic Interscholastic Sailing Association Team Race District Championship in Fort Lauderdale in April. During the district championship, Antilles defeated seven other teams from the South Atlantic Region. In the Baker National Championship, the team was one of 12 vying for the national title.
“We had our ups and downs this weekend,” said team coach and Antilles alumnae Tyler Rice after Sunday’s racing. “We were just barely out sailed by some of the top teams that had clearly been to this stage before.”
Rice said a change in weather conditions made the difference between the first and second days on the water.
“Saturday there was great wind and we were hiking hard all day – so much that we were postponed at one point for too much wind,” he said. “Sunday it was the opposite. It was so light they had to abandon many of the races because of no wind.”
Rice said the team still wraps up this season on a positive note.
“Ultimately, the team accomplished so much this season to get to this and we are so proud of them,” he said. “To qualify for nationals for the first time in three years and be right there representing the Hurricanes in the top two for the majority of the regatta is something we are all honored to be a part of.”
