US Junior Women's Singlehanded Championship - Day 2 Report
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jake Fish
US Sailing Communications Manager
jakefish@ussailing.org
401.683.0800 x614
Chicago, Ill. (July 10, 2012) – Choppy seas forged from a northeastern breeze of 12 to 15 knots, set the stage for the second day of racing at the US Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship, hosted by Chicago Yacht Club. Four races were tacked on to the results today, providing enough races for each sailor to drop their worst score. Eight races have been completed with two more to go on Wednesday’s final day of competition on Lake Michigan. Hanne Weaver took advantage of Tuesday’s strong winds as she surged to the front of the pack.
Each sailor discarded her worst score following the sixth race. The fleet was then brought closer together, setting up an open chase for the Championship. Weaver (Gig Harbor, Wash.) was one of two sailors in the entire 48 boat fleet who collected four top five scores, including a win in the opening race of the day. She heads into the final day with a five point lead overall. Weaver finished 14th at the US Laser Radial National Championships in May, and won a US Junior Olympic Sailing event in Seattle last August, where she won five of the six total races.
In a close second place is Dana Rohde (Richmond Hill, Ga.), the most dominant sailor on the course today. Rohde rebounded from two finishes outside of the top 15 yesterday, and scored four top three finishes to put herself in hot-pursuit of the Leiter Cup. Rohde follows after her older sister, Krysta Rohde, who won an ICSA National Singlehanded Championship in the Laser Radial for the US Coast Guard Academy. Dana Rohde’s improvements each year at this event is quite noticeable. She has moved up from outside the top 20 in 2010, to a ninth place finish last year, and is now in position to win this year.
Two more races are scheduled for tomorrow's final day of competition. The points are close among the top three boats. Only seven points separate first and third place, making for a climactic finale for this US Sailing National Championship. Racing will start at 11:00 AM CT.
For more details on the U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship, including a list of competitors, results and standings, recaps, photos, and more please visit the event website at http://championships.ussailing.org/Youth/USJrWomensSinglehanded.htm. Stay connected with US
Sailing through Twitter for breaking news and results from Chicago.
The U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship is sponsored by Gill North America and Switlik Survival Products, and is supported by the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Trust.
Championship Notes
• The U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship is an open event.
• Competitors are between the ages of 13 and 18 and must be US citizens.
• A total of ten races are scheduled. Three races must be completed to constitute a complete Championship. When fewer than six races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores. When six or more races have been completed, a boat’s series score will be the total of her race scores excluding her worst score.
• Racing begins each day at 11 a.m. (subject to change). Racing will take place on Lake Michigan, directly off the shore of Chicago Yacht Club Belmont Station (approx. 1.5 nautical miles offshore).
• US Sailing Championship medals will be awarded to competitors who finish first through fifth. The C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Sportsmanship Prize will be awarded.
*Preview content provided by Conner Blouin, US Sailing Communications Assistant.
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 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 Singlehanded 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.