HONOLULU—Second-ranked Old Dominion held off a final day rally by the defending champion University of Hawai`i Rainbow Wahine sailing team to win the 2002 Intercollegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) Women’s North American Championships in the waters of Keehi Lagoon. Old Dominion finished with a 168 points, with Hawai`i at 177 and St. Mary’s (Md.) finishing in third with 195 points.

“The key was really in the depth and determination of our sailors,” said Old Dominion women’s head coach Mark Zagol. “We have five solid women skippers who pushed each other hard all semester to get here and win. Both our (A and B) skippers sailed this event last year (in Boston) so their experience really helped us.”

ODU’s squad included A division sailors Sally Barkow, Cara Gibbons-Neff, Debbie Capozzi, and B division sailors Corrie Clement, Liz Bowen and Anna Tunnicliffe.

UH trailed by 27 points coming into the final day of competition. Consecutive first-place finishes by A division sailors All-American Molly O’Bryan and All-American crew Sarah Hitchcock helped pull UH to within two points of ODU with 16 of 18 races completed.

“That was a comeback of Goliath-like proportions,” UH head coach Andy Johsnon. “They fought hard all the way to the end. I’m so proud of all of them. They proved their national-ranking wrong.”

O’Bryan and Hitchcock finished with 79 points in the A division. Renee DeCurtis, Melody Torres, Jennifer Warnock and Lindsay Peters finished the competition with 82 points in the B division.

The competition continues with ICSA North American Team Race Championship, June 2-4, at the Marine Education Center at Keehi Lagoon. Twelve teams will be competing, with races beginning at noon on Sunday.

Final Results

School A-B-Total

1. Old Dominion 62-106-168

2. Hawai`i - 79-98-177

3. St. Mary’s (Md) 105-90-195

4. Brown 148-85-233

5. Yale 150-88-238

6. Tufts 92-155-247

7. Charleston 105-163-268

8. Connecticut College 125-148-273

9. Boston 142-145-287

10. Georgetown 183-135-318

11. Stanford 152-189-341

12. Hobart/WmSmith 235-140-375

13. South Florida 169-213-382

14. Washington 240-260-500

15. Wisconsin 277-241-518

16. Texas 274-259-533

17. Michigan 266-272-538

18. Marquette 275-294-569

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