Top Women Sailors To Duel
For BoatUS Santa Maria Cup May 30 - June 2
New This Year: Live
Commentary on VHF Radio Channel 78
Pitting sailboat against sailboat in a fast-paced
duel to the finish line, “match” racing is considered by
many to be the most exciting sailboat racing format. It’s a matter
of brains over brawn as each boat spars with its foe for the slightest
edge. Tactics, leadership and crew teamwork are the components of victory.
World-class match racing comes to Annapolis’
doorstep May 30 – June 2 when 10 of the top women match racers
are scheduled to compete in the BoatUS Santa Maria Cup. And new this
year, spectators will be able to tune their VHF radios to channel 78
for live commentary on the races as they happen.
Hosted by Eastport Yacht Club and sponsored by Boat
Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), the confirmed fleet
of ten teams led by notable skippers includes the number one women’s
match racer in the world, Claire Leroy of France. Additional competitors
include Australia’s Katie Spithill (ranked #6) and Nicky Souter
(ranked #14); Great Britain’s Josie Gibson (ranked #8); Christelle
Phillipe of France (#10); and Italy’s Lorenza Mariani (ranked
#25).
Americans Sally Barkow (ranked #22), Katy Pyle-Lovell
(ranked #24), Elizabeth Baylis (ranked #25) and recent Sundance winner
Liz Hjorth (ranked #51) will be defending home “turf.”
Each skipper leads a hand picked crew of three. Over
the course of three days, a series of round-robin heats will determine
who goes to the finals on Saturday, June 2.
Unlike sailing races where big budgets and expensive
hi-tech boats can have an advantage, these match racers will take to
the Chesapeake Bay course in identical J-22 (22-foot) sailboats.
For more information go to http://www.SantaMariaCup.org
BoatUS –
Boat Owners Association of The United States – is the nation’s
leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 670,000 members
with a wide array of consumer services including a group-rate marine
insurance program that insures nearly a quarter million boats; the largest
fleet of more than 500 towing assistance vessels; discounts on fuel,
slips, and repairs at over 870 Cooperating Marinas; boat financing;
and a subscription to BoatU.S. Magazine, the most widely read boating
publication in the U.S. For membership information visit http://www.BoatUS.com
or call 800-395-2628.
2007 BOATUS SANTA MARIA CUP COMPETITORS FACT
SHEET as of May 7, 2007
Event dates May 30 – June 2, 2007. For more information
see http://www.SantaMariaCup.org
Sally Barkow, Nashotah, Wisconsin, Pine Lake Yacht
Club:
Winner of the prestigious Rolex Yachtswomen of the Year award in 2005,
and Women’s World Match Racing Champion in 2005 and 2006, Sally
returns to the Santa Maria Cup with a strong showing in 2007 having
recently won the Princess Sofia Regatta, Palma Spain for the second
consecutive year and the Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta. In 2006
Sally also won the US Women’s Match Race Championship and Semaine
Olympique Francais Week in Hyeres, France. Santa Maria Cup followers
will know Sally’s crew for this year’s regatta as it includes
Debbie Capozzi, Carrie Howe, and Anna Tunnicliffe.
Elizabeth Baylis, San Rafael, California, San Francisco
Yacht Club:
A familiar
and welcome person around the Santa Maria Cup, Liz Baylis has as impressive
of a sailing resume as you will find. Already this year she is the winning
skipper in the 2007 Rolex Women’s Match in St. Petersburg, Florida,
and she has top three finishes in several events in 2006. Liz is also
2003 U.S. Women’s Match Racing Champion, 2002 Women’s Match
Racing World Champion, 2002 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, and 2000
America’s Cup crew – America True. The crew accompanying
Liz this year is a virtual who’s who of US sailing: Lee
Icyda, Karina Shelton, and Suzy Leech.
Josie
Gibson, Southampton, Great Britain, Island Sailing Club:
Ranked number
eight in the world and sailing out of the Island Sailing Club in Cowes,
Isle of Wight, Josie will make her first appearance in the Santa Maria
Cup. She started sailing at age nine and began racing at age 13. 2004
was a breakout year for her, and she has consistently finished in the
top three in regattas. In 2006 she won the St Quay grade one event and
finished second in the Women’s National Match Racing Championship,
Weymouth, Great Britain and at the J.P. Morgan Fleming Winter Challenge
in London. Provisionally, she will be sailing with Ali Sutherland,
Kim Couranz, and one additional crew (unannounced at press
time).
Liz
Hjorth, Los Angeles, California, California Yacht Club, Marina
del Rey:
Fresh off
a win at the 2007 Sundance Cup in Fort Worth, Texas, Liz has also won
the 2005 Mayor’s Cup in Long Beach, California. In 2006 she finished
second in both the Ficker Cup and the Mayor’s Cup. Since 1989
she has crewed or skippered in numerous buoy and ocean races on many
different boats ranging in size from eight to 70-feet, both monohull
and multihull. Sailing with Liz for the last year are Marylyn Hoenemeyer,
Karyn Jones and Shala Lawrence.
Clare
Leroy, Nantes, France, Sport Nautique de Saint Quay Portrieux:
Claire started
match racing in 2000 and has been number one on the ISAF Women’s
Ranking List since May 2005, when her current team began sailing together.
The 27 year old began sailing at age four and started competitive sailing
at age 10. She is the skipper of the very successful "Team Ideactor"
which had strong wins last year, including the ISAF Nations Cup, the
Mayor’s Cup, and the J.P. Morgan Fleming Women’s Challenge.
Joining Clare for the 2007 Santa Maria Cup are Dorothée
Martin d'Auray, Elodie Bertrand and Morgane
Gautier.
Katy Lovell, New Orleans, LA, Southern Yacht Club:
Katy will be returning to the Santa Maria Cup and is looking for a win
in the event to start her 2007 season. Coming into her third year as
a match racing skipper, Katy had a second place finish in the 2006 US
Women’s Match Racing Championships and finished a close fifth
at last year’s Santa Maria Cup. Sailing since the age of nine,
she was a member of the U.S. Sailing team from 1993 to 1995. Katy will
be joined this year by Chafee Emory, Alice
Manard and Ann Graham.
Lorenza Mariani, Gardone Riviera, Italy:
Lorenza and
her team train on the beautiful Lake Guarda. She began sailing in 1993.
She was dedicated to the 420 and 470 classes, ranking third in the Italian
Olympic Class Championship 470 in 2001. The team turned their efforts
to match racing starting in 2004. 2006 was Lorenza’s first year
in the Santa Maria. Also in 2006 she had second place finishes at the
Club Nautico Scarlino Match Race in Scarlino, Italy, and the July Match
Race at Marina de Ravenna, Italy. She finished third in the Lake Guarda
Match Race, which featured many of the competitors for this year’s
Santa Maria Cup. Sailing with Lorenza are her friends and teammates
Elena Reboldi, Sara Poci, and Alessandra
Gaoso.
Christelle
Philippe, St Nazaire, France, Association of Promotion of Cruise
Race (APCC):
Currently
ranked number 10 in the world, Christelle has participated in two previous
Santa Maria Cup events and has improved her standing in each of he events.
In 2006, Christelle finished fourth in what was an exciting final day
of racing. She finished second in both the 2006 European Championship
and Spring Cup-St Quay. Having been together for the last two years,
Christelle’s crew is Céline Devaux, Vanessa
Godet, and Eva Foucher.
Nicky Souter, Rushcutter’s Bay, Australia, Royal
Prince Alfred Yacht Club:
2007 has been a great year for Nicky. Her team has placed first in the
Harken Women’s International Match Racing Championships, the Audi
Sydney Harbour Regatta and the IRC and Line Honours Pittwater to Coff’s
Harbor Race. In 2006 she skippered the winner in the Australian Women’s
Match Racing Nationals and the Harken Women’s Match Racing event.
Nicky started sailing in 1993 and has competed extensively in Australia
and abroad. She will be joined at the Santa Maria Cup by: Kylie
McKillop, Ray Martin and one additional crew
(unannounced at press time).
Katie
Spithill, Pittwater, Australia, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club:
24 years
of age, Katie has been sailing since she was 6 years old and racing
since age seven. After winning the Santa Maria Cup in 2006 and the MATIS
New Zealand Women’s Match Racing event, Katie and Team Acuity
continued their impressive year with second place showings in the Mayor’s
Cup and the Australian Women’s Match Racing regatta in their match
racing events. Katie is currently ranked sixth in the world. Racing
with Katie in the Santa Maria Cup are: Nina Curtis,
Angela Farrell and Kristen Short.
