After days of grinding through a format of round robin racing among twelve teams from all over the world, including many rivals from the Alpari World Match Racing Tour, the Chicago Match Race Center congratulates Taylor Canfield and his Team US One for having won the oldest and most prestigious Grade 1 event in the US, Long Beach YC's Congressional Cup. The win earned Canfield the right to wear the Crimson Blazer, emblematic symbol of match race excellence, and an award shared by numerous legends in the sport who have competed and won here over the past 50 years. It also helps solidify his position as number one on ISAF's Open World Match Race Rankings List. Canfield credited victory to his US One team of Rod Dawson, spinnaker trim and tactics; Goodrick Hayden, bow; Mike Rehe and Dan Morris, sail trim, and Brian Janney, mainsail and pit. All members of Team US One have spent considerable time racing and training at CMRC over the past four years.
'This was my fourth time competing here, and the second time with my team,' said Canfield. 'The difference from last year to now is just the smooth team work we have now - last year we were just getting started.'
This year's Congressional Cup was expanded to accommodate 12 teams rather than the usual ten, and attracted the top match race talent eager to start their 2014 seasons. This included World-ranked number two, Ian Williams and his Team GAC Pindar, who Canfield and Team US One unseated last year from their 3-year reign at the top of the AWMRT and who faced him in the Final's. Canfield won this stage 2-1 to take the top prize of $17,500 of the $75,000 total purse.
'The atmosphere is very hospitable and friendly at the event,' said Canfield,' since the club volunteers work very hard to make everyone feel welcome when ashore. But the level of competition on the water was every bit as strong as at a Tour event, and it was impressive to have ten absolutely equalized boats.'
While the next stop for Canfield and Team US One will be the first Tour event next month at Match Cup Germany, the team has plans to come back to CMRC this summer at the Chicago Match Cup.
Congressional Cup US One Sailing
