Crews ready for third annual Mayor’s Cup

by Sean Downey on 19 Jul 2007
The crews have arrived from around the world, for the third annual Mayor’s Cup presented by St. Mary Medical Center, which starts here Thursday July 19.

Eight all-women teams – from Australia, France, Brazil and the United States – enjoyed 15 knots of breeze today during practice for the Grade Two International Sailing Federation event. The competition takes place aboard a fleet of Catalina 37 sailboats, which are identical in gear and design.

'It’s great to know the boats are even and it is up to us to just sail better,' said returning skipper Charlie Arms, of San Diego, Calif.

'Match racing is not about who has the most money to buy the best boat and equipment,' added Sydney, Australia’s Katie Spithill, who came in second in the 2006 event. 'It is instead about skill and the way a team handles an identical boat, versus their opponent.'

Eight teams, of seven women each, will square off two-at-a-time, in three days of races commencing Thursday July 19 at 11:30 am. The competition can be viewed from the Belmont Pier and will continue through Saturday July 21; culminating with a prize-giving at Gladstone’s that night.

For more information and ongoing race results, please visit www.mayorscuplongbeach.com

About the skippers:

Charlie Arms is from San Diego, CA and a member of Vallejo Yacht Club and a competition member of Southwestern Yacht Club. She is also the Director of Sailing for the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo, CA. She is currently 69th in the ISAF World Women’s Match Racing Rankings. She won the 2005 Sundance Cup and finished fifth in the 2006 US Women's Match Racing Championship and Mayor's Cup.

Liz Baylis is from San Rafael, California, and a member of San Francisco and Richmond Yacht Clubs. A longtime offshore sailor, Liz began match racing six years ago and has since trophied in more than a dozen events, including a first place in the 2003 US Women’s Match Racing Championship. Currently in the top 20 in the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Women’s Match Race Rankings, her recent victory at the Rolex Women’s Match in St. Petersburg, Florida has catapulted her into a highly visible position.

Caroline Béjar is from Niterói, Brazil and is a six-time National Champion in the Laser Radial. She finished first in the 2005 Nivea Sun Match Cup and 2005 UBS challenge Salvador - Bahia, and second in the 2004 Nivea Sun Match Cup. She finished third in the 2006 ISAF Nations Cup Regional Final Qualifier and 2006 Match Race Brasil. In 2003 she finished fourth in the Pan Am Games Santo Domingo and sixth in the 2006 Mayor's Cup.

Delphine Casas is a member of Le Yachting Club de la Pointe Rouge in Marseille, France. Just 18 years old, Delphine has already made a name for herself in several Grade 3 and 4 events, including a recent second place finish in the Punta Lagoa Women’s Match Race in Vigo, Spain. Likened to a ‘French Ellen McArthur’ by the European media, Delphine stands at 19th place in the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Women’s Match Race Rankings after just seven events.

Sandy Hayes is from Scituate, Massachusetts. She has been active in international match racing since 2002 and has been ranked in the top twenty of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Women’s Match Race Rankings since 2004 (currently 21st). In 2006 she finished first in the Match Race Brasil and the Rolex Women’s Match Race. She finished second in the 2005 Mayor's Cup and third in the 2006 Mayor's Cup.

Katy Lovell is from New Orleans, Louisiana and is married to Olympic Tornado Class Silver Medalist Johnny Lovell. Currently she is ranked 23rd in the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Women’s Match Race Rankings. She finished second in the 2006 and 2005 US Women's Match Racing Championship. She finished third in the 2005 Mayor's Cup and fifth in the 2006 Rolex Osprey Cup and Santa Maria Cup.

Katie Spithill is from Sydney, Australia, and a member of the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club. She is currently 6th in the ISAF World Women's Match Racing Rankings. She finished first in the 2006 New Zealand Women's Match Racing Championships. She finished second in the 2006 Australian Women's Match Racing Nationals, 2006 Harken Women's Match Racing Championships and 2006 Maryor's Cup.

Claudia Wainer represents host Long Beach Yacht Club, and the City of Long Beach, California. A relative newcomer to match racing and currently unranked by the International Sailing Federation, Claudia nonetheless placed second in the first match race of her new campaign: the March 2007 Sundance Cup. With 25 years of west coast racing, Claudia’s knowledge of local waters and conditions may prove an advantage over the field of higher ranked, international competitors at the Mayor’s Cup.