FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Jake Fish, US SAILING Communications Manager
jakefish@ussailing.org
(401) 683-0800
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (July 6, 2009) – The Hampton Yacht Club (Hampton, Va.) will be the host for 37 teams competing at the 2009 U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship for the Ida Lewis Trophy, a US SAILING National Championship event sponsored by LaserPerformance. The regatta will be run in Club 420s on the waters of Chesapeake Bay over three days from July 9-11. Participating sailors will take part in a two-day advanced racing clinic that precedes the regatta on July 7-8. The field of competitors, who range in age from 13 to 18 years old are eligible to compete in this OPEN event. Of the 76 young women participating in this year’s championship, 18 sailed in last year’s event.
There are several top notch sailors contending for the championship. Grace Lucas (Little Silver, N.J.) will try and improve her third place finish in last year’s championship with new crew Tierney Driscoll (Bayport, N.Y.). Lucas’s crew from last year, Jane Rew (Princeton, N.J.), is now crew for Sarah Williams (Summit, N.J.). Carly Shevitz (Santa Barbara, Calif.) hopes to make a run at the title after finishing third in last week’s U.S. Youth Sailing Championship in Greenwich, Conn. Shevitz will be at the helm with crew Erica Parker (San Diego, Calif.). Another team to watch is Deirdre Lambert (Cumberland, Maine) and Tracy Doherty (Sea Cliff, N.Y.), who finished 12th at their first U.S. Youth Sailing Championship. Chanel Miller (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) and former teammate Melany Johnson (Berwyn, Pa.) are both competing separately at this year’s regatta with new crew. Johnson and Miller finished fourth in 2007 championship and eighth in 2008. Miller is now sailing with crew Yuri Namikawa (Ranchos Palos Verdes, Calif.), while Johnson has begun helming and sails with crew Mackenzie Needham (Shelter Island, N.Y.). Another former crew, Morgan Russom (Springfield, Pa.), who finished second last year as crew, is helming this year with Rachel Hanscom (Maclean, Pa.).
Competing sailors will be treated with Skype question and answer interactive sessions with US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics member and Olympic Gold Medalist, Anna Tunnicliffe (Monday, July 6); and former head coach of the US Sailing Team, Gary Bodie (Thursday, July 9).
The Ida Lewis Trophy, named for the 16-year-old Newport (R.I.) lighthouse keeper, will be awarded to the winning team. Keeper trophies will be awarded to the skippers and crew finishing in the top three places. US SAILING medals will be presented to the top five finishing teams. The C. Thomas Clagett Sportsmanship Award will be awarded to a team based on the results of the competitors’ secret ballot.
For complete results, daily reports, and photos as the event is happening, please visit the event website at http://championships.ussailing.org/Youth/USJrWomensDoublehanded.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.