FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Jake Fish, US SAILING Communications Manager
jakefish@ussailing.org
(401) 683-0800
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (July 15, 2009) – Fifty of the top junior women sailors from across the country will compete at the 2009 U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship for three days of racing in Laser Radials on July 22-24. This year’s championship is hosted by the Westhampton Yacht Squadron in Remsenburg, N.Y. and sponsored by LaserPerformance. This open event will be preceded by a two-day advanced racing clinic.
The top three and seven of the top ten finishers from last year’s championship have returned to race for the Nancy Leiter Clagett Memorial Trophy. Half (25) of the competition from a year ago is back. Arielle deLisser (Miami, Fla.), a member of the US Sailing Team – Under 18, claimed last year’s title by winning the final two races of the event. She edged Marissa Lihan (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) by two points and Sky Adams (Santa Barbara, Calif.) by six.
Lihan is also a member of the US Sailing Team – Under 18. She is one of ten athletes on the US Youth World Team representing the USA at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in Buzios, Brazil on July 9-18. Lihan has a history of success at the U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship. Along with the second place finish a year ago, she finished seventh in 2007. Her sister, Sarah, won the event in 2006.
The field of competitors, who range in age from 13 to 18 years old, will take part in a two-day advanced racing clinic on July 19-20 led by US SAILING’s Junior National Coach and Stanford University Head Coach, John Vandemoer.
The event is part of US SAILING’s National Championship series, and was founded in 1980 to encourage women’s sailing in the United States by providing an opportunity for young women to compete at the national level. Among the past winners of this event is former Olympian, Amanda Clark and ISAF’s top ranked Laser Radial sailor, Paige Railey who won the championship three times.
For complete results, live Twitter updates, daily reports, and photos, please visit the event website at http://championships.ussailing.org/Youth/USJrWomensSinglehanded.htm.
About US SAILING
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US SAILING is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US SAILING offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.
About LaserPerformance
LaserPerformance formally Vanguard Sailboats has a long history of providing benefits and support to US SAILING, its members, events, and programs. Today, LaserPerformance has the role of official sponsor of the US Youth Championships, the U.S. Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship, the U.S. Junior Women's Singlehanded Championship, the U.S. Singlehanded Sailing Championship, the U.S. Junior Singlehanded and Doublehanded Championships, and the U.S. Team Racing Championship. LaserPerformance's commitment to supplying the boats and support for these events is what helps to ensure high caliber competition at these Championships. Many of the world's most popular dinghies are built by LaserPerformance. Boats being supplied to US SAILING Championships are the Laser, the Laser Radial, and the Vanguard 15. For more information on LaserPerformance, call 401-683-0960 or visit their web site at www.laserperformance.com.
About Westhampton Yacht Squadron
The Westhampton Yacht Squadron was established in 1890, and is one of the most historic sailing clubs on Long Island. The club resides on the Moriches Bay and hosts a variety of sailing events. The club has a rich history of sailors that have competed on the bay for generations. For more information, please visit http://www.yachtsquadron.com/.