Exam Schedule, Lack of Wind Forces Sailors Out of Nationals

Lack of wind and a cautious race committee sent the ICYRA Dinghy Championships (Nationals) into an extra day this week, forcing the Harvard sailing team to withdraw early because of a conflict with the exam schedule.

The regatta, hosted by the King's Point Merchant Marine Academy and New York State Maritime College, was scheduled to be completed Tuesday at King's Point. But after three days of sailing in light airs, the race committee decided to run the final four races on Wednesday, the first day of Harvard's exam period.

"They could have finished the races Tuesday if they had been a little more efficient," coach Mike Horn said yesterday. "It was frustrating. As time got short, they actually lengthened a course."

The Crimson squad started terribly Sunday, after getting only one hour of practice in the King's Point 420's Saturday. By Tuesday, however, the skippering of Tom Repps and Tony Leggett moved the Crimson squad from 14th to eighth in the 15-boat fleet before heading back to Cambridge.

The Tufts team of Neal Fowler and Sam Altrueter took home the trophy over-taking early leader Webb Institute. Yale finished third.

Coach Horn takes the Radcliffe team to the women's Nationals starting this Sunday at M.I.T.