Photo
by Walter
Cooper
World Champs 2004: The winning team the BoatUS 2004 International
Sailing Federation Women’s Match Racing World Championship are,
from left, Anne Lush, Debbie Capozzi, Carrie Howe, and team
captain Sally Barkow. The top 16 women's match racing teams
from around the world competed in Annapolis June 5-12, organized
by Eastport Yacht Club. Many of these sailors will be heading
to the Olympics in Athens in August. For full reports, plus
great pictures, click here. |
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UNDERDOG BARKOW WINS BoatUS 2004 ISAF
WOMEN'S
MATCH RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, USA --- In a stunning upset, American Sally Barkow
took first place this Saturday at the BoatUS 2004 ISAF Women's Match
Racing World Championship. Sailing with Barkow were the other two members
of her Yngling team, Long Islander Debbie Capozzi and Carrie Howe from
Detroit, along with Briton Annie Lush; this team also had won last year's
Rolex International Keelboat Championship.
Ranked 27th by the International Sailing Federation in women's match
racing, Wisconsin native Barkow came into the regatta as a relative dark
horse at the bottom of the list of the 16 top international contenders.
She sailed strongly from the beginning and emerged from the double round
robin phase Friday in first with scores of 11-4 in the first round and
12-3 in the second. Only four flights of the semi-final stage and none
of the final matches could be completed when the breeze died early Saturday
afternoon and the regatta's outcome was made final.
On Friday afternoon Barkow had knocked out fellow American Elizabeth
Kratzig in two straight races to win her quarter-final series, then defeated
French sailor Claire Leroy in their first match of the semi-finals.
The remainder of the semi-final series was postponed late Friday after
a member of Betsy Alison's team was hit by the boom before the start
and was rushed to the hospital; fortunately, she was not seriously injured
and was able to rejoin the team for more semi-final racing on Saturday.
As the semi-final action unfolded Saturday, Alison defeated Bermuda
Olympic sailor Paula Lewin in the remaining match of the first flight.
In the second flight, Barkow again defeated Leroy, while Lewin bested
Alison. In the third and fourth flights, Barkow lost to Leroy, while
Alison and Lewin again split, leaving the scores even at two points each
for all four contenders. The series had been scheduled as a best-three-of-five;
the wind died off shortly after 2 p.m., however, and no further racing
could be completed.
Final standings among the top eight skippers were determined based on
a complex series of calculations of tie-breakers and points earned throughout
the regatta, while the lower eight remained in the positions they earned
during the double round robin. Five-time Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year
Alison emerged from the calculations in second overall, with Leroy third
and Lewin fourth.
The regatta, hosted by Eastport Yacht Club and sailed in J/22 sloops,
began on Sunday, June 6. For more information go to http://www.santamariacup.org.
Final Standings
1.
Sally Barkow, USA
2.
Betsy Alison, USA
3.
Claire Leroy, France
4.
Paula Lewin, Bermuda
5.
Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, Denmark
6.
Katie Spithill, Australia
7.
Liz Baylis, USA
8.
Elizabeth Kratzig, USA
9.
Jenny Axhede, Sweden
10.
Carol Cronin, USA
11.
Deb Willits, USA
12.
Christelle Philippe, France
13.
Sabrina Gurioli, Italy
14.
Linda Rahm, Sweden
15.
Nina Braestrup, Denmark
16. Marie Faure, France
Click
Images to Enlarge |
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Photos by Walter Cooper |
BoatU.S. Santa Maria Cup Website
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