U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship preview

by Jake Fish on 7 Jul 2012 U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship 2012, for the Nancy Leiter Clagett Memorial Trophy, is organized by US Sailing and is coming to the 'Windy City' July 9-11 for three days of racing on Lake Michigan. Chicago Yacht Club welcomes a fleet of 50 sailors from around the country to race Laser Radials.

Four top ten competitors from last year’s Championship have returned to race for the 2012 title. Madison Gates (Sarasota, Fla.) comes into the US Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship after a fifth place finish in 2011. This is the best finish among returning sailors. Other returning competitors include, Dana Rhode (Richmond Hill, Ga.) ninth, Hanne Weaver (Gig Harbor, Wash.) sixth, and Quinn Howes (South Orleans, Mass.) seventh. Weaver, Rhode and Gates competed at the 2012 US Laser National Championship this past May in Houston, Texas. Weaver finished ahead of Rhode and Gates placing 13th out of 44 boats. Weaver was the second best female competitor in the field.

Lindsey Baab (Saratoga, Calif.) returns from overseas to race in this event. Baab recently competed at the 2012 Laser Radial Youth World Championships in Brisbane, Australia, where she finished 13th overall, and was the top American. Maddie Widmeier (Pipersville, Penn.), coming off her victory at the US Women’s Doublehanded Championship, has also entered the field. All five sailors will compete in US Sailing’s 2012 US Youth Championships this August in Cascade Locks, Ore.

Four local sailors, representing the Chicago Yacht Club, will compete for the Championship, including sisters Samantha Foulston (Hinsdale, Ill.) and Elizabeth Foulston (Hinsdale, Ill.), Mary Claire Kiernan (Hinsdale, Ill.), and Rose Edwards (Chicago, Ill.).

The event is preceded by a two day clinic (July 7-8) for the participating racers, led by US Sailing’s Junior National Coach Brian Clancy and a staff of distinguished high school and collegiate Event website