Sally Barkow (USA) and her Team Seven swept past Women’s Match Racing world #1 Claire Leroy (FRA) 3-0 to take the title at the ISAF Grade 1 Boat U.S. Santa Maria Cup in Annapolis, USA. Christelle Philippe (FRA) won the petit-final against Liz Baylis (USA) to take third place.

Barkow, one of the leading challengers in the Olympic Class Yngling, lined up in Annapolis with her regular crew of Debbie Capozzi and Carrie Howe, and Anna Tunnicliffe (USA), world #1 in the Laser Radial. After dominating the round robin series with a 17-1 record, they lost the first of their semi-final matches on Chesapeake Bay to Philippe.

Commenting on the team’s website, www.team7sailing.com, Howe said, ’Overnight we regrouped and talked about how we could best use our strengths as a team of four. Anna was a solid force for our team. We’ve got our fleet racing routines down pretty solid as a team of three but match racing in J/22s calls for four and Anna brought a fresh look to everything and helped us step up to a new level.’

The process of review obviously worked well, with Barkow’s team taking the next three matches against Philippe to line up in the final against Leroy, who had beaten Baylis 3-1.

In light and puffy conditions, Barkow, ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Champion in 2004 and 2005, overcame Leroy 3-0. The American-French battle in the petit-final went the other way, with Philippe beating Baylis 2-1 to claim third place overall.