2015 Mayor’s Cup - Women’s West Coast match race returns to Long Beach

by Rick Roberts on 9 Apr 2015 The Mayor’s Cup women’s match race regatta returns to the waters of Long Beach, April 18-19, in this ISAF Grade Three event hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club.

Last held in 2008, this year’s regatta is a qualifier to the US Women’s Match Racing Championship, Aug. 13-16, which will be hosted by Newport Harbor Yacht Club in Newport Beach, Calif.

The winner of the Mayor’s Cup gets an invitation to The Buddy Melges Challenge ISAF Grade 1 match race, Sept. 16-21, hosted by Sail Sheboygan US Sailing Center in Sheboygan, Wis. as part of the 2015 Women’s International Match Racing Series.

The eight skippers competing will be; Lauren Amery, Santa Barbara, Calif.; Nicole Breault, San Francisco, Calif.; Wendy Corzine, Long Beach, Calif.; Sandy Hayes, Scituate, Mass.; Jane Hoffner, Newport Beach, Calif.; Liz Hjorth, Marina del Rey, Calif.; Lisa Meier, Long Beach, Calif. and Shala Youngerman, San Diego, Calif.

Skippers and their teams are bringing their best match racing skills as they compete aboard the Long Beach Sailing Foundation’s fleet of Catalina 37s in a two-day double round robin that promises to be close quarters racing.

This year’s regatta is changing up the format from previous years. 2007 and 2008 Mayor’s Cup winner, Liz Baylis will be holding a chalk talk and on-the-water match racing clinic on Friday. Coaching will be allowed on race days and the women skippers have the ability to have their teams made up of both men and women.

Breault is the highest ranked skipper coming into this regatta---currently 18th in the ISAF Women’s Match Racing Rankings---and has quite a bit of experience in these boats having just competed in the Long Beach Stop of the ISAF Grade There 2015 California Dreamin’ Series, March 1.

“I am looking forward to the Mayor’s Cup,” said Breault. “I had an opportunity back in 2008 to sail in the Mayor’s Cup crewing for Sandy Hayes. I was new to match racing then, just catching the bug. We had great sailing conditions and the competition was tough. We battled Liz Baylis’ team in the finals and ended up second overall.

“I love the hospitality of the Long Beach (Yacht club) shore team and the comradery among the sailors.”

There is no shortage of skills on these boats with every skipper having raced on them at one point in their sailing experiences.

Hayes, Corzine and Meier recently competed in LBYC’s Butler Cup last November and Youngerman competed in the above mentioned California Dreamin’ Series.

Hayes is a three-time runner up at the Mayor’s Cup, 2008, 2007 and 2005 she is also a three-time winner of the Rolex Women’s Match in 2008, 2006 and 2004 and won the 2006 Match Race Brazil. Hayes finished third at the 2008 Brazil Women’s Cup.

This will be Hjorth’s 4th Mayor’s Cup, having won the inaugural event in 2005, she said she’s looking forward to getting back on the Catalina 37s.

“Most of my recent racing has been in PHRF (races) in Marina del Rey skippering an old Long Beach 26 foot boat named Scooter. So, it’s going to be a huge change to get back to match racing on the Catalina 37s, especially with a new crew.

“Several of the other teams have been racing the Catalina 37s on a regular basis and have been participating in match race events as well, so the competition will be tough.”

Amery, part of the Cal Sailing Team, has some fleet racing experience on the Catalina 37s, but has yet to drive them in a match race.

“I was asked by friends on the Cal Sailing Team to skipper the regatta and I am looking forward to sailing with alumni and current sailors from the team.

“This will be my 1st Mayor’s Cup but I have sailed in the Catalina 37s in the Harbor Cup. We haven’t sailed much together as a crew so our goal for this regatta is to have fun and enjoy the experience.”

Baylis, in addition to having won this regatta twice is also the 2002, 2003 and 2004 Women’s Match Racing World Champion; 2003, 2005 and 2006 U.S. Women’s Match Racing Champion and 2002 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year.

“I am very excited to see the Mayor’s Cup coming back,” said Baylis. “Long Beach Yacht Club has always been very supportive of all forms of match racing development and in particular women’s match racing.

“The new format – with a clinic on Friday and coaching throughout the regatta – gets all of the teams ready before the competition begins and allows for improvements throughout. Also having the option of having mixed crews (a female skipper and a mixed male/female crew) is a great way to get more sailors involved and excited about match racing. A real opportunity to raise the level of competition in a short time for the new teams.

“Popularity of the format definitely shows with a full roster of eight teams coming out. A nice mix of new teams and returning veterans. Should be an exciting event.”

In 2005, Camille Daniels---currently Port Captain for LBYC, and Mary Voigt from the Long Beach Sailing Foundation were asked by then mayor for the city of Long Beach, Beverly O’Neil, and the city’s Sea Festival organizers to put together a women’s match race regatta. With sponsors and a budget the Mayor’s Cup ran through 2008.

In 2009 the recession hit and sponsor dollars dried up… and so did the event.

This year, with the renewed focus of LBYC becoming a match racing center, it was decided to put the Mayor’s Cup back on the calendar. Thanks to forward thinking members on the budget committee, the flag officers and board of directors the regatta now has the financial support it needs.

Races will be held just off of the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier and start at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and at 12 noon on Sunday, weather conditions permitting. Spectators can watch the racing action from the pier with self-pay parking available in the pier’s parking lot.