For
Immediate Release
Contact: Cynthia Goss
203-453-2731
Connecticut Sailors Emily Maxwell and Kelly
Stannard Capture U.S. Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship in Close Finale
Mandeville
(La.) July 11, 2007 — After seven races sailed in Club 420s on Lake
Pontchartrain, Emily Maxwell (Stonington, Conn.) and Kelly Stannard (Salem,
Conn.) triumphed over 35 teams in a hotly contested finale to capture the U.S.
Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship for the Ida Lewis Trophy. During the
three-day regatta, sponsored by Vanguard Sailboats and hosted July 5-10 by Pontchartrain Yacht Club, the young women racing at this event were schooled
in conditions that try the patience of the very best sailors: the vagaries of
light air. On the final day of this US SAILING Championship, the top teams in
this national fleet were tested even further by a points situation that had
escalated into a lethally close battle.
Maxwell/Stannard sailed into the final race tied in points with the team of
Stephanie Hudson and Laura McKenna (Winnetka, Ill./Palo Alto, Calif.), with
the California duo of Syndey Bolger and Morgane Renoir (Long Beach, Calif./San
Diego, Calif.) only one point behind the leaders, factoring in a discard race.
A win for Maxwell/Stannard in the last race cinched their victory on a slim
two-point margin.
The light winds and lake chop were conditions that Maxwell described as,
"pretty tough … My biggest challenge was being really patient in the light air
and chop. The downwind legs were brutal!"
Maxwell finished sixth at this regatta last year, but this was the first time
she and Stannard campaigned for this US SAILING Championship together.
According to Maxwell and all those who watched this team sail, these two young
women with little time in the same boat together clicked extremely well.
Stephanie Hudson and crew Laura McKenna sailed to a very close second. For
Hudson, the light air, the heat, and staying hydrated and patient on the
racecourse made this a challenging series; still, these two women pulled a
strong performance out of the conditions. Hudson noted that many competitors
tried to wring the most speed from the light-air conditions, but the strategy
of Hudson/McKenna was to push for high angles: "All of the girls went for
speed, but we worked on our pointing." Hudson was the leading skipper after
the first day, with four races.
In third place were Syndey Bolger and crew Morgane Renoir. Renoir came to this
championship fresh off a win at the U.S. Youth Sailing Championship, sailed in
late June on Lake Pontchartrain. Renoir was top crew in the Club 420 class at
this US SAILING Championship.
A two-day clinic preceded the event to prepare the fleet for the challenge of
the championship. Lead by United States Naval Academy’s head intercollegiate
sailing coach, John Vandemoer, and a team of instructors, top competitors
found the clinic good preparation for the regatta; conditions on clinic days
were quite different, however, with stronger breezes and rolling waves. The
top-ten finishing teams will have an opportunity to take their sailing
education even further by receiving invites to an advanced racing clinic, held
in 29ers and run in conjunction with CORK Sail Week in Kingston, Ontario.
As winners of this championship, Emily Maxwell and Kelly Stannard become the
next young women to wear the mantle of the legendary Ida Lewis, by accepting
the trophy that bears her name. Born in the mid-1800s, Ida Lewis was only 16
when she became the lighthouse keeper of what was then Lime Rock Light in
Newport (R.I.), 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.
When interviewed about her performance at this national event, Maxwell not
only discussed the sailing that earned her the regatta win: she made note of
the smooth running of the championship that gave her an opportunity to compete
for this national title. "The clinic was very well run," said Maxwell, "and
the Race Committee, they did a great job in the trying conditions."
The C. Thomas Clagett Jr. Sportsmanship Award went to the team of Caroline
Wright (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) and crew Megan Place (Wilton Manors, Fla.).
Place had dislocated her shoulder during the weekend; in a show of true
determination, she raced the entire regatta one-armed—her injured arm
carefully bandaged, wrapped in a sling, and held firmly in place within her
lifejacket. This Florida team finished the regatta in 12th place.
For complete results, visit the event website at
www.ussailing.org/championships/youth/usjrw/double.
The U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship for the Ida Lewis Trophy is
part of US SAILING’s National Championships series; for more information about
these events, visit
www.ussailing.org/championships.
About Vanguard Sailboats
Demonstrating a continuing commitment to youth sailing, Vanguard Sailboats,
manufacturer of the Club 420s sailed in this event, is once again sponsoring
the U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship. Vanguard Sailboats has been
a dedicated sponsor of numerous U.S. National Championships for more than a
decade, encouraging sailors in the U.S. to enjoy the sport while also ensuring
great competition. Visit their website at
www.teamvanguard.com.
About US SAILING
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is the national governing
body for sailing. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode
Island, the organization provides leadership for the sport of sailing in the
United States. 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 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing
Teams. For more information, please visit
www.ussailing.org.
FINAL RESULTS (seven races / one discard)
1. Emily Maxwell/Kelly Stannard (Stonington, Conn./Salem, Conn.); 5*, 4, 2, 5,
2, 1, 1: 15 points
2. Stephanie Hudson/Laura McKenna (Winnetka, Ill./Palo Alto, Calif.); 8, 1, 1,
2, 20*, 2, 3: 17 points
3. Sydney Bolger/Morgane Renoir (Long Beach, Calif./San Diego, Calif.); 2, 2,
3, 8, 4, 4, 27*: 23 points
4. Chanel Miller/Melany Johnson (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Berwyn, Pa.); 4, 26*, 4,
3, 5, 5, 10: 31 points
5. Eliza Richartz/Nicole Heinl (Old Lyme, Conn./Barrington, R.I.); 6, 6, 8, 1,
25*, 3, 18: 42 points
*indicates discard
-end-