MIT Takes Striking Second at Women's Presidents Trophy

April 9, 2006

By
Mike Stoller

BOSTON, Mass. - MIT raced past a host of rivals to finish second out of 15 teams, this past weekend, at the Women's Presidents Trophy. The Engineers placed above cross-town foe Harvard University, Boston College, and Yale University, which finished third, fourth, and fifth, respectively, during the two-day regatta hosted by Boston University. The Cardinal and Gray proved its prowess in tough conditions, finishing atop the board in Saturday's shifty northwest breeze of 6-13 knots on a cold, overcast afternoon. MIT kept pace on Sunday, dropping only a notch overall, as Dartmouth University won the event with a score of 140.

Tech's terrific A-Division tandem of skipper Emma Bassein and crew Sunny Wicks scored a remarkable 43 during the first day's 10 rounds, while B-Division's Libby Palmer, Jenny Hu, and Ellann Cohen tallied a 44. Both teams edged out Dartmouth, as the Engineers sailed into Sunday with a seven point (87-94) lead.

Bassein and Wicks, who carried MIT's upper division in all 15 races, took a slight dip in Sunday's sunnier climate, as did the B team, with skipper Palmer teaming with Hu in the first ten rounds and Cohen in the final five. MIT closed with a score of 155.

The Engineers also fared well in Sunday's Tyrell Trophy, placing fifth out of 16 entries. Co-hosted by MIT and Brandeis University, Tech's B-Division duo of Chuck Head and Karlen Ruleman finished third during the 12-round event along the breezy Charles River, while the A team of Gabe Cira and Kim Harrison placed seventh.

MIT wrapped its weekend ranking seventh out of 10 teams in the two-day Friis Trophy Team Racing Insersectional, hosted by second-place finisher Tufts University.