Top Six Advance at 2011 U.S. Team Racing Championship

Contact:
Jake Fish
US SAILING Communications Manager
jakefish@ussailing.org
401.683.0800 x614

SHOREACRES, Texas (October 1, 2011) - Saturday was judgment day for the 15 teams competing for the George R. Hinman Trophy at the 2011 U.S. Team Racing Championship. The top six teams advanced to the Championship Round on Sunday after finishing another 54 races today and 105 total in the Single Round Robin stage. Teams are racing in Vanguard 15s on Galveston Bay. The U.S. Team Racing Championship is hosted by the Houston Yacht Club.

The six teams advancing to the Championship Round are New York Yacht Club Team Extreme (12-2), Minor Threat (10-4), Team Trouble (10-4), Spinnaker - BUSA (9-5), Larchmont Yacht Club (9-5) and Seattle Slideshow (8-6). These teams will compete in a Double Round Robin, weather permitting. The top two teams will advance to the Final Round in a knock out series. The first team to win three races in Sunday’s Final Championship Round will be crowned the winner.

Leading the way into Sunday is New York Yacht Club Team Extreme, the 2009 U.S. Team Racing Champions. All six of Team Extreme’s crew has returned to action from the 2009 Championship team and last year’s squad that finished third. Zachary Brown (New Haven, Conn.), Emmet Smith (New Haven, Conn.), Thomas Barrows (St. Thomas, USVI), Marla Menninger (New York, N.Y.), Stuart McNay (Boston, Mass.), and Michael Hession (Chicago, Ill.) make up NYYC Team Extreme. The all Yale team is comprised of former 2008 Olympians, McNay (470) and Barrows (Laser). They have had another successful year by finishing second at the 2011 Team Racing World Championships. Team Extreme won the New York Yacht Club Team Racing Championship last summer and is a three-time Wilson Trophy Champion in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Newcomers, Minor Threat are contenders through the First Round. Each member of Minor Threat has been an ICSA (Intercollegiate Sailing Association) All-American at least once. All three skippers are three-time ICSA All-Americans. Members of Minor Threat include Cy Thompson (St. Thomas, USVI), Kelly Stannard (Salem, Conn.), Tyler Sinks (San Diego, Calif.), Lucy Wallace (Middletown, R.I.), Charlie Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif.) and Alex Taylor (Boston, Mass.). Buckingham garnered College Sailor of the Year honors for 2011.

Team Trouble also had a strong First Round. They are led by skippers Benjamin Spiller (Quincy, Mass.), Matt Allen (Beverly, Mass.) and Mark Dinneen (Milton, Mass.), and crew Anna Miniutti (Quincy, Mass.), Andrew Schneider (Marblehead, Mass.) and Janel Zarkowsky (Annapolis, Md.).

NYYC Team Extreme is 2-0 against Minor Threat and Team Trouble. Minor Threat defeated Team Trouble in their match. 

The U.S. Team Racing Championship is sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A., LaserPerformance, Gill North America and Old Pultney Single Malt Whiskey. Please visit the event website at http://bit.ly/ustrc11 for results, standings, daily reports, photo galleries, videos and more. Also, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/ussailing and for regular updates from Houston. The Championship is a Sailors for the Sea - Clean Regattas certification event.

For an inside look at the event, read the US SAILING Blog, featuring Kelly Stannard of Minor Threat.

Championship Notes:

• Each competing team consists of three skippers and three crews.
  
• Racing begins at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday (start times subject to change).
  
• Racing will be conducted on upper Galveston Bay. The intended course is a digital “N”.
  
• US SAILING medals for permanent possession will be awarded to the top three placing teams.
  
• The winning team will receive the George R. Hinman Trophy, which they will have appropriately engraved and may hold until 60 days prior to the following year championship.