Bennett Upsets Perry and Canfield Edges Buckley in U.S. Match Racing Championship Semis

September 18, 2010

DETROIT, Mich. (September 18, 2010) – The competitors racing at the U.S. Match Racing Championships completed the final three flights of the round robin stage, the consolation round, and the semifinals on Saturday. When the dust settled this evening, Taylor Canfield of the St. Thomas Yacht Club, and Shawn Bennett of the St. Francis Yacht Club advanced to Sunday’s final by winning their respective semifinal match-ups.

Canfield finished the round robin stage with an 8-1 record and the number one seed. He was followed by three-time champion Dave Perry (Pequot Yacht Club) at 7-2. Bennett finished third at 6-3 after his win over Mike Buckley (Hyannis Yacht Club) in the final match of the 15th flight. Buckley grabbed the fourth seed with a 5-4 record.

Canfield took on Buckley and Perry dueled with Bennett in the semifinal series, with the first teams to win two matches advancing to Sunday’s final. Both Canfield and Bennett got off to great starts en route to their match one victories. In match two Bennett got off to another early lead, but Perry claimed the advantage halfway to the windward mark and had a slight lead after the mark. However, Bennett reclaimed the lead soon after. Perry had the inside track on the second windward mark. The two boats jibed and Bennett caught a puff that pushed him into the lead for good, and Bennett advanced to the finals with a 2-0 win.

Canfield was penalized after the start and Buckley took an early lead and never looked back. In the third and final match, Canfield jumped out to an early lead. The race was close halfway to the finish line when Buckley was penalized and Canfield cruised to victory and a 2-1 win. The battle for this year’s Prince of Wales Bowl continues tomorrow morning with the finals and petit finals (Perry vs. Buckley).

There was a pair of upsets in the consolation round. The tenth seed Brad Funk (Lauderdale Yacht Club) upended the fifth seed Kent Colpaert (Bayview Yacht Club), 2-0. The ninth seed Chris Nesbitt (Balboa Yacht Club) defeated the sixth seed Leonid Vasiliev (Oakcliff Sailing Center), 2-0. The seventh seed Mark Johnson (Neenah Nodaway Yacht Club) blanked eighth seed John Pearce (Ithaca Yacht Club), 2-0.

The U.S. Match Racing Championship is a US SAILING Adult National Championship hosted this year by Detroit’s Bayview Yacht Club. Teams are sailing in Ultimate 20s on Detroit River in this International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Grade 3 event.

The highest placing eligible skipper in this event will qualify to represent the U.S. in the 2011 ISAF Nations Cup. The winning skipper will also receive an invitation to race in the 2011 Knickerbocker Cup, a Grade 2 event and World Tour Qualifier. Also, the highest placing skipper who does not receive an invitation to the Congressional Cup from that event’s organizational authority will receive an invitation to race in the 2011 Ficker Cup, a Congressional Cup Qualifier and Grade 2 event. The U.S. Match Racing Championship is sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A., Dry Creek Vineyard, Hobie Polarized, and Gill North America.



UPDATED EVENT FORMAT

Stage 3: Petit Final Series – First to win two races. Determines places 3-4 in the regatta.

Stage 4: Final Series – First to win three races. Determines places 1-2 in the regatta.

* Format is subject to change by the organizational authority.

Visit the event web site for standings, daily recaps, photo galleries, and more. For up-to-the-minute updates during the championship, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.