12 Jul Oakcliff Welcomes Top Teams for U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship by Jake Fish
OYSTER BAY, N.Y. (July 9, 2014) – Women’s match racing takes center stage this week at Oakcliff Sailing in Oyster Bay, N.Y. One of the premier high-performance training centers in the country will host the 2014 U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship, beginning this Friday, July 11 through Sunday, July 13.
Eight talented teams of six sailors will race in the Match 40 over three days of intense, one-on-one match racing action. Competition is just part of the experience for sailors this week. Oakcliff Executive Director Dawn Riley will conduct a match racing clinic for the competing teams prior to the start of the championship on Thursday, July 10. Riley is a world-renowned sailor, who has raced on four America’s Cup and two Whitbread (now Volvo Ocean Race) teams.
Highlighting this year’s cast is Stephanie Roble (East Troy, Wis.), who is fresh off her third place finish at the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship last June in Cork, Ireland. Roble is the third ranked women’s match racer in the world and #1 in the U.S. She won the 2013 Stena Match Cup Sweden Women’s Trophy. She returns to the U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship after placing second last year in Chicago.
Four skippers who raced in last year’s championship have returned to take another shot at the elusive Allegra Knapp Mertz Trophy. These returning skippers, along with Roble, are Katie Maxim (Napa, Calif.), Sandy Hayes (Scituate, Mass.), and Madeline Gill (Oyster Bay, N.Y.). Access the full sailor list with crew.
There is a lot on the line this week beyond trophies and medals. The winning skipper receives an automatic invitation to the 2014 U.S. Match Racing Championship, which will be sailed October 3-5, 2014 at St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, Calif. and an automatic invitation to the 2014 Buddy Melges Challenge at Sail Sheboygan (Wis.) on September 23-28, 2014.
Venue and Schedule
Racing will take place on Oyster Bay, Cold Spring Harbor or Long Island Sound.
First signal for racing is scheduled for 10am EDT, July 11-13.
The tentative last signal for racing on Sunday, July 13 is 2pm EDT.
Racing Format (subject to change)
Stage 1 – Single Round Robin
Stage 2 – Round Robin to determine places 5-10
Stage 3 – Semifinal knockout series
Stage 4 – Petit Final for places 3 and 4
Stage 5 – Final knockout series for places 1 and 2
* The intended course will be windward/leeward/windward/leeward with starboard rounding, finishing downwind.
Coverage and Media
For results, standings, photos, Twitter updates, and more information on the 2014 U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship, please visit the event website.
For breaking news and race results, follow us on Twitter @USSailing. Use Twitter hashtag – #USWomensMRC – to participate in the conversation throughout the championship.
Prizes
Perpetual Trophies will be awarded for first and second place: Allegra Knapp Mertz Trophy (winner), Mrs. Charles Francis Adams Memorial Trophy (runner-up)
US Sailing Gold, Silver and Bronze medals will be awarded to the skippers and crews placing first through third, respectively.
Only a US citizen may be declared U.S. National champion.
This US Sailing National Championship event is sponsored by Gill North America. The championship is a Sailors for the Sea – Clean Regattas certificated event. Oakcliff Sailing was named a US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider National Training Center in 2013.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jake Fish, US Sailing Communications Manager, 401.683.0800 x614, jakefish@ussailing.org
About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.
About Gill North America
Gill NA, with headquarters near Atlanta, GA is the exclusive importer and distributor of Gill-brand foul weather gear in North America including Caribbean, US and Canada. Gill is a worldwide apparel and accessories brand serving the marine industry with over three decades of experience. Gill specializes in high tech, breathable waterproof clothing. The company develops and markets a variety of performance-oriented, award-winning apparel and accessories for virtually every type of boating activity with product lines that include foul weather gear; interactive layering systems; footwear; gloves; bags; junior gear; scholastic gear and team wear. Gill products are available through hundreds of independent dealers and select West Marine Stores. For further information, please contact: Gary Barker at 941 505 2111 or gary.barker@gillna.com.