FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Marlieke de Lange Eaton
401-683-0800
Third Time's
A Charm for Winning Skipper Sydney Bolger at
U.S. Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship
Sausalito, Calif. (July 13, 2008) - Sydney Bolger (Long Beach, Calif.)
and her crew Caitlin Beavers (Santa Ana, Calif.) dominated US SAILING's
33-boat U.S. Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship for the Ida Lewis
Trophy, which wrapped up Saturday evening at host club Sausalito Yacht Club,
Calif. The two 18-year-olds came out of the gates strong on the first day of
racing, winning all three races that day. They continued their dominance
throughout the regatta, finishing 30 points ahead of the second-place team
of Eliza Richartz (Old Lyme, Conn.) and Morgan Russom (Springfield, Penn.).
The Championship is among several U.S. Championships
sponsored by LaserPerformance.
For Bolger, this was her third consecutive year competing in the event, each
year improving her final standing (finishing third in the event last year
and 14th in 2006). This year was the first time she teamed up with Beavers
for the U.S. Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship. For both sailors,
this was their last time competing in this national Championship, as they
will age out to compete in the event again next year (the event is open to
female sailors between the ages of 13 and 18).
For complete results, photos and daily reports, please visit the event
website at
www.ussailing.org/championships/youth/usjrw/double.
This year's Championship was filled with returning sailors who competed in
the same event last year: out of the 66 sailors who competed, 31 competed in
the event last year. In addition, this year's Championship has been all
about improving results: four of the teams who finished in the top five this
year, finished in the top ten last year. All five teams now qualify for an
Advanced Junior Women’s Clinic to be held next month in 29ers in Kingston,
Ontario.
Racing at this National Championship, organized by US SAILING, was preceded
by two days of on-the-water and on-land clinics designed to help the sailors
prepare physically and mentally for the regatta. The clinics were taught by
some of the nation's top youth coaches.
Support for the U.S. Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship, as well as
the clinics, come from funds provided by the late C. Thomas Clagett, Jr., to
perpetuate his dedication to junior women's sailing. 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.
Demonstrating a continuing commitment to youth sailing, LaserPerformance,
manufacturer of the Club 420s sailed in this event, is once again sponsoring
the U.S. Junior Women’s Doublehanded Championship. LaserPerformance 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.laserperformance.com.
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 (10 races, 1 dropout):
1. Sydney Bolger (Long Beach, Calif.) /Caitlin Beavers (Santa Ana, Calif.):
1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 2, 4, [7], 1: 16 points total.
2. Eliza Richartz (Old Lyme, Conn.)/Morgan Russom (Springfield, Penn.): 2,
3, 4, 11, 1, 10, 7, [13], 4, 4: 46 points total.
3. Grace Lucas (Little Silver, N.J.)/Jane Rew (Princeton, N.J.): 7, 7, 5, 2,
8, 7, 5, [16], 9, 2: 52 points total.
4. Emily Dahl /Heather May (both Newport Beach, Calif.): 4, 8, 11, [34/OCS],
3, 15, 3, 2, 12, 6: 64 points total.
5. Kelly Seago (Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich.) /Katie Bill (Grosse Pointe
Woods, Mich.): 9, 4, 9, [34/OCS], 4, 9, 10, 3, 13, 9: 70 points total.
(End)