US SAILING CELEBRATES 10th ANNIVERSARY OF U.S. JUNIOR WOMEN’S DOUBLEHANDED CHAMPIONSHIP IN NEWPORT, R.I.

Portsmouth, R.I. (June 29, 2005) – Ida Lewis Yacht Club in Newport, R.I. now has less than one week to get ready for the July 5th arrival of 90 young female sailors between the ages of 13 and 18 who will be competing at US SAILING’s U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship for the Ida Lewis Trophy. The event, celebrating its 10th anniversary, will take place July 5-11 in Club 420s provided by Vanguard Sailboats. Since the event’s inception, the Championship has been hosted by sailing organizations around the country but is making its return to the original host club this year for a special reunion. A number of women who competed for the U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship in 1995 will return to congratulate this year’s winning team.

Before racing begins on July 8, competitors will attend a two-day racing clinic, giving the young sailors the opportunity to improve their sailing skills before racing starts for the National Championship title. Coaches from across the U.S. are coming to teach, including local sailors Betsy Alison (Newport, R.I.) - five-time Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year and current US Disabled Sailing Team coach; 2004 Olympian Meg Gaillard (Jamestown, R.I.); and John Mollicone (East Greenwich, R.I.) - Brown University Sailing Team coach.

For more information on the U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship, please visit the event’s website at www.ussailing.org/championships/youth/usjrw/double. The event is part of US SAILING’s National Championship series. For more information about US SAILING’s National Championship series, visit www.ussailing.org/championships or contact US SAILING’s Championships Manager Liz Walker at 401-683-0800.

First held in 1995, the U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship was created to encourage women’s sailing in the U.S. by providing an opportunity for junior women sailors to compete at the national level. The event became an official US SAILING Championship in 1996 as the national doublehanded championship for junior women sailors. Winners of the 2004 event were Roberta Steele (Shoreacres, TX) and Meredith Nordhem (Chicago, Ill.).

About Ida Lewis
The winning team of the U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship will be awarded the Ida Lewis Trophy. Born in the mid-1800s, Ida Lewis was 16 when she became the lighthouse keeper of what was then Lime Rock Light in Newport, RI, after her father could no longer perform the job. Renowned for her skill in her wooden rowboat in extreme conditions, Lewis is credited with 18 documented rescues. She performed her job as lighthouse keeper until 1911. The Ida Lewis Trophy is a pewter representation of Lewis, heading from the lighthouse to her wooden boat.

About Vanguard Sailboats
Demonstrating a continuing commitment to youth sailing, the U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship is once again sponsored by Vanguard Sailboats, manufacturer of the Club 420 boats used in the event. Vanguard Sailboats has been a dedicated sponsor of numerous U.S. National Championships for more than a decade. Vanguard supports and sponsors sailing at many levels, encouraging sailors in the U.S. to participate in and enjoy the sport, and ensuring great competition among sailors. Visit their website at www.teamvanguard.com.  

About US SAILING
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is the national governing body for sailing and sailboat racing. Headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the organization’s mission is to encourage participation and promote excellence in sailing and racing in the U.S. US SAILING offers training and education programs, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including the US Sailing Teams and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.

(End)