LONG BEACH, Calif. - The University of Hawai`i coed sailing team finished in third place at the Pacific Coast Sailing Conference Coed Dinghy Championship hosted by USC, April 12-13. By finishing in the top four, UH qualified for the Intercollegiate Sailing Association national semifinals to be held in two weeks.

Host USC won the 11-school regatta with a low of 75 points. Following the Trojans were Stanford (83), Hawai`i (95) and UC San Diego (114). A total of 11 races in two divisions were completed during the two-day event. Sailing for UH were Mike Scott, Andrew Meade, Mark Spector, William Petersen, Becky Mabardy, Pam Magasinn and Jackie McCloughlin.

As the third-place finisher at the PCCSC championship, UH is bracketed in the western semifinal, to be held in Long Beach, Calif., April 26-27. The eastern semifinals will be in Geneva, N.Y. This is the first year the ICSA will be holding national semifinals. The top nine (9) teams from each regatta will qualify for the ICSA/Gill Dinghy National Championship, June 2-4, 2008, in Newport, R.I.

The Rainbows, ranked 13th in the latest collegiate poll, look to make it back to the national championship after a two-absence. Prior to that, Hawai`i finished in the top-three at the nationals four straight years, including its first-ever championship in 2004.

Final Standings (A-B=Total)
1. USC (29-46=75)
2. Stanford (55-28= 83)
3. Hawai`i (48-47=95)
4. UC San Diego (51-63=114)
5. UCLA (56-64=120)
6. UC Irvine (55-71=126)
7. Cal Maritime (75-52= 127)
8. UC Santa Barbara (58-81-139)
9. Santa Clara (90-73=163)
10. California (100-95=195)
11. Cal State Monterey Bay (110-106=216)

-UH-