Marshall wins sailing award
By Adrienne Downing

Michael Marshall sailiing a J/22.

Locals familiar with sailing know that Mike Marshall and his brother, David, are good sailors. The brothers won the Fleet 12 J/22 Conanicut Yacht Club race series this summer and they recently won the New England Sloop Championships for Connecticut College, edging Boston College and Brown University for the title.

"We were really consistent through the whole series and that ultimately gave us the win. After the first day, Brown was ahead by 4 points but they were inconsistent and ended up in a match race with BC," Mike Marshall said.

Mike and David, along with teammate Kit Will, are headed to the national championship race in Fort Worth, Texas from Nov. 16 to 18.

"We are going to be sailing on a man-made lake, so I am really starting to find out about lake sailing," Mike said. "From what I have learned so far, there really is no rhyme or reason to it."

The younger Marshall pointed out that sailing with David in the New England event was an advantage to the team. "I have been driving the sloop for four years and Dave has been doing the bow with me for three of those years. It really helps that we know each other's style," he said.

When asked if sailing with a sibling has ever caused a problem, he replies candidly, "We get along very well. Yes, we have our differences sometimes about how we should do certain things, but we each have our own job to do on the J/22. He owns the bow and that is a big responsibility. Overall, we work very well together."

As a freshman, Mike is still finding his place on the team. "Dave is the starting varsity crew for skipper Dave Meleney in the 420 class. Being a freshman, I am still in the mix. They put me where they need me," he said.

Both boys sailed on the North Kingstown High School sailing team and Mike said that ultimately it was Scott Ferguson who helped him make the jump from high school to college sailing.

"In school and in junior sailing, you just rely on boat speed and just try to sail faster than everyone else. When you get to the college level everyone sails fast, so it becomes more about tactics. Scott taught me a lot that brought me to another level," Mike said.

Winning the New England Intercollegiate Men's Sailor of the Week award should be a good indication to him that he has successfully made that jump.

"I was really surprised to win the award, actually. When the coach told me I had won, I thought he was joking," Mike said. "I know there were four All-Americans who were driving at New Englands, so I think the fact that we beat them may have something to do with the honor."

Head coach Jeff Bresnahan was impressed with his performance at this early stage of his career on the water.

"Mike is achieving success so early in his college career because he trains harder then everyone around him," Bresnahan said. "He came into tryouts this year better than some of our juniors and se- niors. In a sport like sailing, you have to be mentally tough and Mike seems to be able to balance school and the pressures of being a starter for our team."

Not content to rest on his accomplishments, Mike will be putting some extra time in at the helm in preparation for nationals.

"I really want to work on my starts. I want to be able to go fast and get in clean air right off the line," he said. "Kit, Dave and I will be practicing in the 22s, staging some mock regattas and perfecting our performance."

Does he see a Marshall brothers national championship in their future? "I think we have a chance, I definitely do," he concludes.