Date: Friday, September 28, 2001
Written by Elliott Wiley, Jr.

SAILING CRUSHES COMPETITION TO CAPTURE HOOD TROPHY

MEDFORD -- On the weekend of September 22-23, on Upper Mystic Lake in Medford, the Tufts University Sailing Team dominated the competition to win the Hood Trophy. The Jumbos, ranked second in the most recent national poll, finished with 75 teams points, 36 points ahead of second-place St. Mary's College. Winning the Hood Trophy is no stranger to the team as they also won the regatta last season.

The team was led by A Division skipper, junior Pete Levesque (Falmouth, ME/Tabor), and his crew member, sophomore Ariel Fromer (Kingshill, USVI/Good Hope). After 10 races, the A Division squad finished with 53 points, just one behind Boston College. The Levesque-Fromer combo won the third race and also placed second in races one, four, and ten. Levesque also skippered last season's B Division team, providing the experience needed to win the competition.

This year's B Division proved they had very little competition in their races, placing first in seven out of 10 races. The team was skippered by senior John Birkett (Boston, MA/Milton Academy) and crewed by sophomore Katie Shuman (Seattle, WA/Garfield). Tabulating a sensational score of 22 points in the 10 races, they finished 20 points ahead of second place Saint Mary's College.

Two good sailors is not the measure of a good sailing team; the Jumbos proved it takes four good sailors to win regattas. Through excellent showing in both A and B Divisions, the team made sure that the Hood Trophy did not leave Tufts University.

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