Rainbow Sailors Head To Women's Nationals - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

Rainbow Sailors Head To Women's Nationals

LAKE TRAVIS, Texas. – (Hawaii Athletics) The University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine sailing team looks for a breakthrough performance when it competes in the 2012 ICSA Sperry Top-Sider Women's National Championship beginning May 30 at Lake Travis just outside of Austin, Texas.
 
This year's field includes 27 teams. Nine schools have already qualified for the finals by placing at the top of their respective district championships. The Rainbow Wahine will be one of 18 semifinal squads set to compete on the first two days of the regatta for the next nine spots in the finals.
 
UH qualified for the nationals after placing second at the Pacific Coast Sailing Conference Championship on their home waters at Ke'ehi Lagoon in late April. Madeline Kennedy, Lani Johnson, Lindsay Stewart and Hanne Nagatani have spearheaded the Rainbow Wahine efforts this year and will head to Texas along with coed standout Bree Nidds.
 
This will be the 13th time in the last 15 years that the Rainbow Wahine will be competing in the nationals. UH has been a regular at the event but looks to make some noise for the first time in recent history. Hawai'i has not moved past the semifinals in each of the last three seasons. In last year's semifinals in Cascade Lakes, Ore., UH finished 10th, just six points off the final qualifying spot for the finals.
 
UH looks for its highest finish since placing fourth at the 2004 nationals. The Rainbow Wahine, led by All-American and 2012 Olympic qualifier Molly (O'Bryan) Vandemoer captured its first women's national championship in 2001 in Boston.