Post by Steve Sutton on Jun 8, 2010 10:16:00 GMT -5
ANNAPOLIS, Md., June 7, 2010 - The 20th annual BoatUS Santa Maria Cup international women's match racing championship wrapped up Saturday with celebrated French team skipper Claire Leroy winning the cup for second year in a row. This left Genny Tulloch (USA) with second place finish and Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) in third, beating out Sally Barkow (USA).
Hosted by Eastport Yacht Club, the championship began Wednesday on the Chesapeake Bay with 10 of the world's top-ranked female match racers dueling it out in J/22 sailboats. The final series kept spectators in suspense with Tulloch coming from behind in the second race to beat Leroy, and stay in the lead to win the fourth race. However, Leroy and her team, including Elodie Bertrand, Marie Riou, and Claire Pruvot, were able to hold the challengers off for a second straight year and win the other three races.
"We had a good regatta," Leroy said. "We lost four in the round-robin, but they were very close so we knew we could win. And then in the semi-final we were against Anna Tunnicliffe, as always."
Women's Keelboat Match Racing is a new sailing event for the London 2012 Olympics, and this year's BoatUS Santa Maria Cup competition was seen by some as an early look at that competition. The Cup is also an International Sailing Federation Grade 1 event and part of the ranking process.
Hosted by Eastport Yacht Club, the championship began Wednesday on the Chesapeake Bay with 10 of the world's top-ranked female match racers dueling it out in J/22 sailboats. The final series kept spectators in suspense with Tulloch coming from behind in the second race to beat Leroy, and stay in the lead to win the fourth race. However, Leroy and her team, including Elodie Bertrand, Marie Riou, and Claire Pruvot, were able to hold the challengers off for a second straight year and win the other three races.
"We had a good regatta," Leroy said. "We lost four in the round-robin, but they were very close so we knew we could win. And then in the semi-final we were against Anna Tunnicliffe, as always."
Women's Keelboat Match Racing is a new sailing event for the London 2012 Olympics, and this year's BoatUS Santa Maria Cup competition was seen by some as an early look at that competition. The Cup is also an International Sailing Federation Grade 1 event and part of the ranking process.