FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Marlieke de Lange Eaton
401-683-0800
 

REPEAT WIN FOR PARALYMPIC HOPEFUL KAREN MITCHELL AT
U.S. INDEPENDENCE CUP

 
Chicago, Ill. (August 7, 2006) – Karen Mitchell (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) sailing this year with Michael Grimm (Miami Beach, Fla.) has won her fourth consecutive U.S. Independence Cup/ North American Challenge Cup (IC/NACC) sailing in the Freedom Independence class. Mitchell and Chicago native Mike Jaffe were locked in a tie with nine points each after five races. On the final day, Tim Flynn with crew Paul Choquette won the first race to tie Jaffe. But Mitchell and Grimm won the second race to cinch the title. Flynn and Choquette, tied in points with Jaffe, won the tie-breaker to take 2nd overall. Mitchell is campaigning to represent the U.S. at the 2008 Paralympic Games. Later this month, she’ll compete in the Clagett Memorial Regatta, a qualifier for the 2006 US Disabled Sailing Team, in the brand-new SKUD18. This championship is “most definitely a great way to prepare,” said Mitchell. “My philosophy is to get in as many boats as you can, as often as you can.”

Roger Cleworth (Lithia, Fla.) won a tie breaker to take overall honors in the 2.4mR division of the 2006 Championship. Cleworth, a member of the 2006 US Disabled Sailing Team in the 2.4mR and winner of the event in 2002, was in a dead heat the entire series with John Ruf (Pewaukee, Wis.) who was sailing in his first IC/NACC. “I didn’t think I’d won,” said Cleworth. “It was nerve wracking.” Ruf was disappointed to get second, but noted that after being away from sailing is some time, “It’s a joy to get back and sail around, shaking the dust off.”

This was the most competitive IC/NACC in a number of years, according to US Disabled Sailing Team coach Betsy Alison. As is the tradition at the U.S. Independence Cup/North American Challenge Cup, the event kicked off with a day-long clinic taught by Alison and Lee Icyda. For the first time, the clinic was held on the water at Chicago Yacht Club’s newly renovated Belmont Station. The clinic is sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A. Inc., which sponsors all of US SAILING’s Adult Championships.

For complete results, daily reports, and photos from the U.S. Independence Cup/North American Challenge Cup, please visit the event website at www.ussailing.org/independence. The IC/NACC is part of US SAILING's National Adult Championship series, all of which are sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A. For more information about US SAILING's National Championships, please visit www.ussailing.org/championships.

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.

Final results
Freedom 20
1. Karen Mitchell/Michael Grimm (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Miami Beach, Fla.) 2*-2-1 5 points
2. Tim Flynn/Paul Choquette (Ashaway, R.I./Warwick, R.I.) 6*-1-3 10 points
3. Mike Jaffe/Dan Daniher (Chicago, Ill./Oak Lawn, Ill.) 2*-4-4 10 points
4. Mike Strahle/Martha Hitchcock (both Redding, Calif.) 8*-3-2 13 points
5. Donna DeMarest/Joe Del Vecchio (Waterbury, Conn./East Providence, R.I.) 10*-5-5 20 points

* indicated points carried forward from races 1 through 6.

2.4mR
1. Roger Cleworth (Lithis, Fla.) 1-2-1-2-2-2-1-2-(2)-1-1-1 16 points
2. John Ruf (Pewaukee, Wis.) (3)-1-2-1-1-1-2-1-1-2-2-2 16 points
3. Mark Le Blanc (New Orleans, LA) 2-3-3-3-3-3-3-(6)-5-5-4-4 38 points
4. Scott McKay (Ramona, Calif.) 5-5-5-4-4-4-(9)-3-3-3-5-3 44 points
5. Kristi Walker (Chicago, Ill.) 4-6-4-(9)-5-6-4-7-4-4-3-6 53 points

( ) denotes throwout race

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