2015 USODA Girls National Championship - Twins take first and second

by Talbot Wilson on 23 Jul 2015 Wednesday racing for the USODA Girls National Championship was deja vu for the Cowels twins of Larchmont NY. Tuesday they were on the undefeated winning Team Race National Championship LISOT Black Team. Wednesday Carmen won the 2015 USODA Girls National Championship and put her name on the Maggie Wake Perpetual Trophy. Her twin sister Emma was second to her. Tuesday was their birthday. They are certainly celebrating again today.

Rounding out the top five slots were Ariana Fernandez from Guayaquil, Ecuador in third and Sarah Burn of Short Hills New Jersey in fourth and Claire Housey of New Orleans in fifth.

The Cowles girls came to Pensacola from the IODA North American Championship where Emma was first girl and Carmen was second. Their coach, Pepe Bettini, for LISOT said, 'They swap wins back and forth.' Carmen is going to the IODA Worlds in Poland and they are both eligible for the Opti Team Cup Berlin in October with LISOT.

Three races were sailed Wednesday with a 90- boat fleet. Carmen Cowles scored two – one - two for five points and Emma had six points scoring three – two - one. Fernandez scored seven – four - four, Burn had ten – three - three, Housey finished four – sixteen - seven.

The Girls National Championship day started out with an AP flying to keep the girls ashore a wait for the wind to shift from the morning west wind to the southerly sea breeze. When that breeze came, it came strong. The committee was busy shifting marks between races on the Opti 'Trap' course, numerous boats were swamped in the two foot chop and 16 kt wind and the girls were bailing like crazy to keep their boats racing.

Thursday Carmen and Emma will be out to beat the boys in the boys and girls four-day 2015 USODA National Championship. Fleet racing with 306 Red, White and Blue and Green Fleet entries in the USODA National Championship will be sailed Thursday through Sunday. Individual entries come from all over the USA and other countries including Canada, Bermuda, the Bahamas and more.

Spectators are invited to come to the Pensacola waterfront at Plaza de Luna, Pensacola Maritime Park, Sanders Beach or Pensacola Yacht Club. A 'Food Truck' food court will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner daily at Pensacola Yacht Club.

Pensacola Yacht Club welcomes all of the young Opti sailors for these elite events from beginners to experts. A ‘beginners’ Green Fleet will race Thursday through Sunday in the shallow waters off Sanders Beach adjacent to Pensacola Yacht Club. In total, PYC expects over 2000 people to be involved in the championships as participants, coaches, race officials, volunteers and parents supporting their young green and championship fleet challengers.

The USODA Opti Nationals week is a great time to enjoy all that Pensacola and Northwest Florida have to offer.