Strong Field in Marblehead for U.S. Match Racing Championship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (September 19, 2012) – American match racing guru Dave Perry will attempt to capture an unprecedented fifth U.S. Match Racing Championship this week in Marblehead, Mass. Ten teams will compete in Sonars for the Prince of Wales Bowl at the 2012 U.S. Match Racing Championship, hosted by the Boston Yacht Club. This four day US Sailing National Championship starts this Thursday, September 20.

Perry (Southport, Conn.) and crewmates Mike Rehe (Harper Woods, Mich.) and Chris Museler (Portsmouth, R.I.) hope to defend the title they won last year off the coast of Newport Beach, Calif. Museler also won this championship with Perry in 2008 (Oyster Bay, N.Y.) and 2006 (Fort Worth, Texas). Perry is the 39th ranked match racer in the world by ISAF. The two-time Congressional Cup Champion will be representing the Pequot Yacht Club (PYC) again this year. Perry won this championship on three occasions while representing PYC in 2011, 2008 and 2006, and once for the Yale Corinthian Yacht Club in 1982.

Perhaps nobody is more eager to win the U.S. Match Racing Championship than Taylor Canfield (St. Thomas, USVI). He came up just short of winning the last two championships by losing in the Finals, including last year to Perry. Ranked 11th by ISAF, Canfield is the highest ranked match racer competing at this week’s championship. His top results this year include a win at the Chicago Match Race Center (CMRC) Invitational, third at the Congressional Cup and fourth at the Chicago Match Cup, a World Match Racing Tour event. His crew this week includes Stephanie Roble (East Troy, Wis.), Maggie Shea (Wilmette, Ill.), and Janel Zarkowsky (Annapolis, Md.). Roble and Shea won last week’s U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship in San Francisco, as crew for Genny Tulloch. They also campaigned together for the Olympics in the Elliott 6m. Canfield’s team will be representing the Chicago Match Race Center and St.Thomas Yacht Club.

Two-time U.S. Match Racing Champion Dave Dellenbaugh (Easton, Conn.) has returned to take another shot at the Prince of Wales Bowl. Dellenbaugh, who won this championship in 2002 and 1984, is also representing the Pequot Yacht Club. He’ll be sailing this week with his daughter Rebecca Dellenbaugh (Easton, Conn.), and US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider members Debbie Capozzi (Bayport, N.Y.) and Stuart McNay (Boston, Mass.). A two-time Olympian (2012 and 2008) in the Men’s 470, McNay was also on the winning team at the U.S. Team Racing Championship in 2009. Capozzi, a 2012 Olympian, crews for the #1 ranked women’s match racer in the world – Anna Tunnicliffe. They won the 2011-12 ISAF Sailing World Cup and finished second at the 2012 ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championship.

Other notable skippers competing this week include, Chicago Match Race Center Founder Don Wilson (Chicago, Ill.), who is ranked 36th in the world by ISAF. He won the CMRC Spring Invitational in May. Brad Funk (Plantation, Fla.), standout Laser and Moth sailor, will be making his second appearance at the U.S. Match Racing Championship.

For results, standings, videos, photos and more information from the 2012 U.S. Match Racing Championship, please visit the event website at http://championships.ussailing.org/Adult/USMRC.htm.

For breaking news and race results from Marblehead, stay connected with US Sailing through Twitter and Facebook.

The U.S. Match Racing Championship is sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A., Old Pulteney, Hobie Polarized, and Gill North America. This championship is a Sailors for the Sea - Clean Regattas certification event.

Championship Notes

• The intended format for this event is: 
  •     Stage 1 - A round robin
  •     Stage 2 - A round robin
  •     Stage 3 - A knockout series, first to score 2 points, to determine places 9-12 in the regatta
  •     Stage 4 - A knockout series, first to score 2 points, to determine places 5-8 in the regatta
  •     Stage 5 - Knockout petit final (first to score 2 points) and finals (first to score 3 points) series
• Racing is tentatively scheduled to begin each morning at 10:00 am ET
• The course will be windward/leeward with starboard roundings, finishing downwind
• The intended course area will be in the vicinity of Marblehead Bell
• The highest placing, eligible skipper in this event will qualify to represent the United States in the Nations Cup Regional Final
• The winning skipper of this event will receive an invitation to race in the 2013 Ficker Cup, a Grade 3 event and a Congressional Cup Qualifier
• The USMRC Chair is Greg Kiely
• The Event Chair is Anne Coulombe