Johnson, Neville Earn U.S. Singlehanded Championship Titles

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USSC15 winners_400Brant Beach, N.J. (July 24, 2015) – Friday featured another day of fantastic Laser sailing on Little Egg Harbor Bay for the competitors at the Laser U.S. National Championships and U.S. Singlehanded Championships.

For the third time in four years, Clay Johnson (Point Pleasant, N.J.) won the men’s Laser Full Rig division of the U.S. Singlehanded Championship for the George O’Day Trophy. He won this championship in 2013 and 2012, and the 2011 Laser North Americans as well. Johnson out-raced the 33 sailors in contention for this title. He was also runner-up to Canada’s Robert Davis for the Laser U.S. National Championship. Johnson won three races this week and finished outside the top six just once.

“I haven’t been sailing a lot of Lasers lately, but it’s kind of like riding a bike,” said Johnson. “It helped that I grew up sailing here, so there was a lot of local knowledge that I used to my advantage.”

Laser Full Rig – Top 5
1. Clay Johnson, TRYC/LEHYC, 1-[19]-2-1-4-5-[6]-2-2-3-6-1- ; 27
2. Frederick Vranizan, Royal Vancouver YC/Seattle YC/CYC Seattle, 9-4-3-[11]-2-7-4-4-4-7-4-[12]- ; 48
3. Malcolm Lamphere, LGYC/YCYC/CYC, 5-5-4-5-11-4-[13]-[16]-13-6-3-2- ; 58
4. Marek Zaleski, Noroton YC, 8-[24]-12-[45]-3-16-1-17-7-4-11-10- ; 89
5. Andrew Puopolo, Marsh Creek Sailing Club, 6-2-18-10-13-3-5-[21]-[35]-10-20-6- ; 93
Full Standings

Christine Neville (Middletown, R.I.) made a return to her winning ways by capturing the women’s Laser Radial division of the U.S. Singlehanded Championship for the Helen Wills Hanley Trophy. Neville also won this championship in 2011. She bested the 17 sailors eligible for this title. Scott Rasmussen won the overall Laser Radial U.S. National Championship. Neville placed fifth overall. She collected four top six finishes this week. The Laser Radials conducted five qualification round races, followed by six championship series races for the gold and silver fleets.

Laser Radial – Top 5
1. Christine Neville, Sail Newport/StFYC, 3-11-4-14-68/OCS-46-12-15-4-11-6- ; 80T
2. Lindsey Baab, St. Francis YC/San Francisco YC, 16-6-10-12-12-50-7-21-38-5-25- ; 136
3. Talia Toland, Royal Vancouver YC/Seattle YC, 13-11-19-17-16-25-17-24-24-16-39- ; 163
4. Sophia Reineke, Lauderdale YC, 14-14-27-22-26-61-4-20-28-9-35- ; 172T
5. Hanne Weaver, RVYC/SYC/CYC, 9-13-24-10-32-9-25-34-15-33-52- ; 172T
Full Standings

Racing was stifled on Tuesday as the sailors waited for the seabreaze to build during a lengthy onshore postponement. Storms in the area forced an abandonment later in the afternoon. Only one race was completed for the Full Rig fleet. Sailing conditions were much better on Wednesday and Thursday. Five races were completed in all fleets on Wednesday and three on Thursday.

This week’s U.S. Singlehanded Championships was held in conjunction with the Laser Class U.S. National Championship.

For final results and standings, photos, and more information about the U.S. Singlehanded Championship, please visit the event website.

The 2015 U.S. Singlehanded Championship is sponsored by Gill North America, Hobie Polarized, and Switlik Survival Products. This US Sailing National Championship is a Sailors for the Sea certified Clean Regatta.

For information on the Laser Class U.S. National Championship, visit the event website.

US Sailing Contact: Jake Fish, US Sailing Communications Manager, jakefish@ussailing.org
On-Site Contact for Laser U.S. Nationals: Glenn Reitinger, glenn.e.reitinger@gmail.com

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About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. 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 US Sailing Team Sperry. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.

About Gill North America
Gill NA, with headquarters near Atlanta, GA is the exclusive importer and distributor of Gill-brand foul weather gear in North America including Caribbean, US and Canada. Gill is a worldwide apparel and accessories brand serving the marine industry with over three decades of experience. Gill specializes in high tech, breathable waterproof clothing. The company develops and markets a variety of performance-oriented, award-winning apparel and accessories for virtually every type of boating activity with product lines that include foul weather gear; interactive layering systems; footwear; gloves; bags; junior gear; scholastic gear and team wear. Gill products are available through hundreds of independent dealers and select West Marine Stores. For further information, please contact: Gary Barker at 941 505 2111 or gary.barker@gillna.com.

About Hobie Polarized
Hobie Polarized is a leading designer, developer, marketer and distributor of polarized eyewear. The brand’s innovative lens technology allows total glare reduction, 100% UV protection, enhances contrast and provides optimum visual acuity. The company’s products are sold worldwide and are used by watermen at all skill and lifestyle levels. The Hobie Polarized headquarters is located in Plainview, New York. For further information, please visit the company’s website at www.hobiepolarized.com.

About Switlik Survival Products
Established in 1920, Switlik Parachute Co. has been owned and operated by the Switlik family for four generations and is known worldwide as a manufacturer of the highest quality sewn and heat sealed inflatable safety and survival products for the aviation, marine, and military/government markets. Our capabilities include a wide variety of anti-exposure and anti-g suits, inflatable life rafts, inflatable life vests, inflation systems and other specialty textile-based military equipment all manufactured at our 85,000 sq. ft facility located in Trenton, NJ USA. www.switlik.com