> US SAILING Media > Latest News > 2012 > Donahue, Widmeier Claim US Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship
Donahue, Widmeier Claim US Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship
Contact: Jake Fish
US Sailing Communications Manager
jakefish@ussailing.org
401.683.0800 x614
DEEPHAVEN, Minn. (June 29, 2012) – Light winds dominated the third and final day of the 2012 US Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship. The race committee attempted to get an early jump on the day to no avail, as the weather refused to cooperate. Yesterday’s leaders Allyson Donahue and Maddie Widmeier were crowned 2012 champs after finishing second last year.
The regatta concluded with six races in the books. Each team was allowed to discard their worst score. Donahue (Brigantine, N.J.) and Widmeier (Pipersville, Penn.) maintained a one point lead over Carolyn Smith (Newport Beach, Calif.) and Bayley Davidson (Costa Mesa, Calif.). Both teams put together remarkably consistent scores throughout the week. The top two teams placed outside the top seven just once, which was dropped from their overall scores. This consistency allowed these teams some breathing room at the top of the leaderboard.
Donahue and Widmeier were able to provide perspective on competing at this event, and what bringing home this title means to them. The two have sailed together for the past four years, and had a great deal of pressure on their shoulders after finishing second last year. Widmeier explained how their mental toughness as a team allowed them to lock up the regatta: “Coming off of the fifth race (19th place finish), we said to ourselves ‘wow that was horrible’, but we were able to go off to the side, get some food, water, relaxation and get right back in it for the sixth race.”
Donahue commented on what it meant to her to win the regatta: “This is definitely the most important regatta we have ever won. We have done well at a lot of the big regattas over the past few years, but have never had a victory until now.”
The two girls will continue to push themselves throughout the summer, and on to their upcoming senior year of high school. The pair will compete in the Club 420 North Americans, the Buzzard’s Bay Regatta, and the US Sailing Youth Championships at the Gorge in Oregon this summer.
The winning team was presented with the prestigious Ida Lewis Perpetual Trophy. The top three teams were awarded trophies, and the top five teams received US Sailing Championship Medals. Samantha and Elizabeth Foulston were named winners of the C.Thomas Clagett Jr. Sportsmanship Award.
For more details on the U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship, including a list of competitors, final results and standings, recaps, photos, and more please visit the event website at http://championships.ussailing.org/Youth/USJrWomensDoublehanded.htm. This year’s Championship is hosted by the Lake Minnetonka Sailing School.
The 2012 U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship is sponsored by Gill North America, Maclaren, and Switlik Survival Products, and is supported by the C. Thomas Clagett Jr. Trust.
* Recap content provided by Conner Blouin, US Sailing Communications Assistant.
Championship Notes
• The 2012 U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship is an open event, but is limited to the first 40 complete teams.
• All competitors are between the ages of 13 and 18 and must be US citizens.
• Racing took place on the lower part of Lake Minnetonka in close proximity to Lighthouse Island.
About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth 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 Sperry Top-Sider. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.
About Gill North America
Gill NA, with headquarters near Atlanta, GA is the sole distributor and licensee of Gill-brand foul weather gear in North America including Caribbean, Central America, US and Canada. Gill is an apparel and accessories leader in the worldwide marine industry for over three decades and specializes in high tech, breathable waterproof clothing. The company tests, designs and markets a variety of performance-oriented, award-winning apparel and accessories for virtually every type of boating activity with product lines that include foul weather gear; interactive layering systems; footwear; gloves; bags; junior gear; scholastic gear and team wear. Available through hundreds of dealers nationally, Gill NA is the sole distributor and licensee of Gill-brand foul weather gear in North America, where it is the top selling yachting clothing brand. For more information on Gill NA, visit the company website at http://www.gillna.com/or contact Lance Jones at Gill NA, (678) 730-5581 / e-mail: lance@gillna.com
About Maclaren
Maclaren is the pre-eminent lifestyle brand for parenting. For nearly 50 years Maclaren has stood for excellence, empowerment and innovation, and is best known for the creation of the first umbrella buggy which revolutionized baby transport. Like Maclaren, the sport of sailing encompasses a complete lifestyle with a rich heritage. In an effort to spread the positive impact of sailing, the Maclaren Sailing Sponsorship Programme promotes participation and retention in the sport of sailing on a global basis. Maclaren sponsors a variety of sailors and regattas around the world including training and community initiatives. To learn more, please visit www.maclarenbaby.com
About SWITLIK Survival Products
SWITLIK is proud to be a sponsor of the U.S. Youth and Junior Sailing Championships, the pinnacle of performance dinghy sailing for America’s young adults. These fine young sailors exhibit the same type of drive, performance and perseverance that goes into every SWITLIK product.
Established in 1920, SWITLIK has been family owned and operated for four generations. Known worldwide as a manufacturer of the highest quality personnel safety and survival products for the marine, aviation and military/government markets, SWITLIK products are designed and manufactured in the USA to meet the toughest performance standards. From the world's finest race marks to the most trusted survival equipment and technical protective clothing, SWITLIK products are defined by Quality, Performance and Innovation, every day, in all we do. SWITLIK - Simply the best for over 90 years. For more information, please visit www.SWITLIK.com.
About Clagett Trust
Support for the U.S. Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship is made possible in part by funds provided by the late C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. to perpetuate his unwavering dedication to Junior Women's Sailing. His support is in memory of his late wife, Nancy Leiter Clagett, a world class sailor, and of Ida Lewis, the heroic daughter of a lighthouse keeper. This support is intended to encourage young American women to enhance their sailing ability, with emphasis on sportsmanship, by providing the opportunity to compete in national-level competition with guidance from high-level coaching. Tom Clagett's family continues to assist in fulfilling his vision.
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth 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 Sperry Top-Sider. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.
About Gill North America
Gill NA, with headquarters near Atlanta, GA is the sole distributor and licensee of Gill-brand foul weather gear in North America including Caribbean, Central America, US and Canada. Gill is an apparel and accessories leader in the worldwide marine industry for over three decades and specializes in high tech, breathable waterproof clothing. The company tests, designs and markets a variety of performance-oriented, award-winning apparel and accessories for virtually every type of boating activity with product lines that include foul weather gear; interactive layering systems; footwear; gloves; bags; junior gear; scholastic gear and team wear. Available through hundreds of dealers nationally, Gill NA is the sole distributor and licensee of Gill-brand foul weather gear in North America, where it is the top selling yachting clothing brand. For more information on Gill NA, visit the company website at http://www.gillna.com/or contact Lance Jones at Gill NA, (678) 730-5581 / e-mail: lance@gillna.com
About Maclaren
Maclaren is the pre-eminent lifestyle brand for parenting. For nearly 50 years Maclaren has stood for excellence, empowerment and innovation, and is best known for the creation of the first umbrella buggy which revolutionized baby transport. Like Maclaren, the sport of sailing encompasses a complete lifestyle with a rich heritage. In an effort to spread the positive impact of sailing, the Maclaren Sailing Sponsorship Programme promotes participation and retention in the sport of sailing on a global basis. Maclaren sponsors a variety of sailors and regattas around the world including training and community initiatives. To learn more, please visit www.maclarenbaby.com
About SWITLIK Survival Products
SWITLIK is proud to be a sponsor of the U.S. Youth and Junior Sailing Championships, the pinnacle of performance dinghy sailing for America’s young adults. These fine young sailors exhibit the same type of drive, performance and perseverance that goes into every SWITLIK product.
Established in 1920, SWITLIK has been family owned and operated for four generations. Known worldwide as a manufacturer of the highest quality personnel safety and survival products for the marine, aviation and military/government markets, SWITLIK products are designed and manufactured in the USA to meet the toughest performance standards. From the world's finest race marks to the most trusted survival equipment and technical protective clothing, SWITLIK products are defined by Quality, Performance and Innovation, every day, in all we do. SWITLIK - Simply the best for over 90 years. For more information, please visit www.SWITLIK.com.
About Clagett Trust
Support for the U.S. Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship is made possible in part by funds provided by the late C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. to perpetuate his unwavering dedication to Junior Women's Sailing. His support is in memory of his late wife, Nancy Leiter Clagett, a world class sailor, and of Ida Lewis, the heroic daughter of a lighthouse keeper. This support is intended to encourage young American women to enhance their sailing ability, with emphasis on sportsmanship, by providing the opportunity to compete in national-level competition with guidance from high-level coaching. Tom Clagett's family continues to assist in fulfilling his vision.