ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. – The Hampton University sailing team, under the direction of new coach Alessandro Ambrosi, competed this past Saturday and Sunday in the South # 1 Regatta at St. Mary's Open for the Senators' Cup.

The Pirates and Lady Pirates took to the water early Saturday morning, struggling over the first day to find some consistency. During times where the wind was strong, Hampton's sailors performed well; when the wind died down, things became a little harder. Sunday began with wet and cloudy conditions and little wind, though the skies cleared up as the day went along.

The A division, which consisted of Andy Shoemaker (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Ian Guagliardo, finished in a three-way tie for 10th place with Christopher Newport and the University of Maryland. Shane Rickie Horsford (Antigua, West Indies) and Sam Haysbert sailed in the B division to a 17th-place finish, giving Hampton an overall finish of 13th in a field that included such other teams as Old Dominion, Virginia Tech, University of Virginia and William & Mary.

The St. Mary's Open was Hampton's first regatta of the fall season; the Pirates and Lady Pirates had to skip regattas at William & Mary and ODU in weeks prior since they were without a coach.

The sailing squads will return to the water this Saturday and Sunday, when they head to Alexandria, Va. for the South #2 Regatta hosted by Georgetown University. For more information on Hampton University sailing, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.