Leroy Leads Women at the Carlos Aguilar Match Race

(By Lynn Fitzpatrick of World Regattas - www.WorldRegattas.com)

December 4, 2009 (Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, ISV) – “We may see this match up in the Olympics, folks,” said Pat Bailey, the MC at the 2nd Annual Carlos Aguilar Match Race. Bailey was referring to the match between two-time Women’s World Match Racing Champion, Claire Leroy and her Mermaid Sailing Team, and US Women’s Match Racing Champion, Genny Tulloch and her crew of US sailing rock stars in the fifth flight of Round Robin 1.

Tulloch came off the starting line carrying a penalty. When the two teams engaged again 2/3rds of the way up the beat, Leroy was given an offsetting penalty, however, she came out of the engagement in a controlling position and eked out a narrow lead around the weather mark. The gap widened on the run and shrank around the leeward mark. Leroy read the shifts up the second beat a bit better than Tulloch and extended her lead at the top of the final beat.

Leroy finished the day with a perfect score. Nipping at their heels are their compatriots and Liz Baylis and Genny Tulloch. All three teams have four wins. Experienced US match racer, Katy Lovell and her team had mixed results for the day, but ended on a high note. Three teams in their first year of match racing didn’t score any wins today, but they did learn a lot.

The women saved the most exciting match for last. In a re-sail between Katy Lovell (USA) and Liz Baylis (USA), the lead changed three times. Lovell won the race and handed Baylis her first loss for the day.

2nd Annual Carlos Aguilar Match Race
Women’s Grade 1 Results following 5 flights of Round Robin 1

Leroy (FRA) – 5Wins - 0 Losses
Bossard (FRA) – 4W-1L
Baylis (USA) – 4W-1L
Tulloch (USA) – 4W-1L
Lovell (USA) – 2W-3L
Ramires (POR) – 0W-5L
Decnop (BRA) – 1W-4L (-0.5 points for damage)
O’Brien-Uszenski (ISV) – 0W-5L

For regatta information, please visit www.carlosmatchrace.com

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Media Contact - Lynn Fitzpatrick, World Regattas, Lynn@WorldRegattas.com, Skype: Lynn.Fitzpatrick1
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