U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship update

by Carol Bareuther on 15 Nov 2009 Brisk breeze in the morning was followed by dead calm conditions by late afternoon for the eight elite teams competing on the third day of racing at US Sailing's 2009 U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship (USWMRC), hosted by the St. Thomas Yacht Club and sailed in Cowpet Bay.

Thunderheads rolling through the islands midday never doused sailors, but they did seem to suck all the air out of the bay by end of day. Nonetheless, a third round robin, the consolation series and first flight of the semi-finals were completed.

US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics (USSTAG) member, Anna Tunnicliffe (Plantation, Fla.), the 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist in the Laser Radial, maintained her lead. She is joined by teammates Molly O'Bryan Vandemoer (Redwood City, Calif.), Liz Bower (Rochester, N.Y.), and Alice Manard (Charleston, S.C.). Manard and Vandemoer are both members of USSTAG. However, Tunnicliffe suffered her first loss of the championship. The loss came at the hands of USSTAG teammate, Katie Pilley-Lovell (New Orleans, La.), during the third round robin. Pilley-Lovell won the start, while Tunnicliffe followed in pursuit and overtook on the upwind. 'We then pulled a move that didn't work and weren't able to gain back the lead,' explained Tunnicliffe.

Tunnicliffe and crew went on to win the first flight of the semifinals against Annie Gardner-Nelson (San Diego, Calif.), while USSTAG member, Genny Tulloch (San Francisco, Calif.), won her match against Pilley-Lovell. The championship will conclude tomorrow.

The 2009 U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship for the Allegra Knapp Mertz Trophy, is sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A., Dry Creek Vineyard, Predict Wind and Sail Proud. This event is part of US SAILING's National Championship series.

For complete results, daily recaps, and photos please visit the event website at http://championships.ussailing.org/Adult/USWMRC.htm

For more on the US Sailing National Championships, please visit http://championships.ussailing.org/

*Race report content provided by Carol Bareuther of the St. Thomas Yacht Club.