HONOLULU - The University of Hawai`i's coed sailing team takes to the waters this weekend for the Pacific Coast Sailing Conference Dinghy Championships, April 17-18, at Keehi Lagoon. It's the second time in the last four years that the Rainbows have hosted the event.

A total of 11 teams will be competing this weekend on UH's home waters. The Rainbow sailors look to take some momentum into the event after finishing second in their last two regattas. UH placed second at the PCCSC Team Race Championships this past weekend in Northern California and subsequently earned a berth into the ICSA Team Race National Championships, the programs' first berth into the team race nationals since 2005.

UH will look for another nationals berth this weekend as the top four finishers will qualify for the ICSA Dinghy National Semifinals May 1-2. The No. 1 and No. 3 finisher will go to Seattle, Wash., while the No. 2 and No. 4 teams will travel to Charleston, S.C. The top 18 teams will then advance to the ICSA Dinghy Championships in Madison, Wis., June 3-5.

PCCSC Dinghy Championships Quick Facts

What: 2010 Pacific Coast Sailing Conference Team Racing And Dinghy Championships

Where: Marine Education and Training Center at Keehi Lagoon. Heading east down Sand Island Access Road, make a right turn after the bridge.

When: April 17-18. Races will begin at approximately 10 a.m. each day with the final race starting at about 4 p.m., weather permitting.

Who: Eleven schools will compete for automatic berths, including Cal Poly, California, Hawai'i, Stanford, Santa Clara, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, UCLA, USC