Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) defeated Anne-Claire Le Berre (FRA) Saturday in the final round of the Buddy Melges Challenge to claim overall victory for the event. Early race leaders, Nicky Souter, Jessica Eastwell and Katie Spithill (AUS) defeated Julie Bossard, Pauline Chalaux and Pauline Courtois (FRA) in the match for third place.
Sailing under beautiful sunny skies and steady 12 to 15 knot northerly breeze with a moderate Lake Michigan chop, Anna Tunnicliffe, Molly Vandemoer and Debbie Cappozi of Team Maclaren showed dominate form securing a 3 - 0 victory in the best of five finals match. The second French team defeated by Tunnicliffe in as many days, the finals challenging team of Anne-Claire Le Berre, Alice Ponsar, Myrtille Ponge (FRA) were unable to stop the American’s momentum.
In the first race of the finals, Tunnicliffe and Le Berre tacked their way up the first leg with Le Berre protecting the right. Tunnicliffe was able to cross and control Le Berre taking a boat-length lead by the windward mark. Le Berre managed to pass Tunnicliffe before the leeward mark, but drew a double penalty when she took unentitled room at the mark. Races 2 and 3 began in similar fashion with Tunnicliffe taking the lead by the windward mark and then keeping the lead for the remainder of each race.
The Buddy Melges Challenge was hosted by Sail Sheboygan and is one of just four ISAF Grade 1 women’s match racing events in the USA. The field consisted of 16 teams from eight countries and was sailed in nearly perfect conditions over the 5-day event. Contested using the new Olympic-designated Elliott 6m boats, most of the international field of competitors used the regatta as a springboard to potential Nation’s Cup and Olympic success. Sail Sheboygan will also host the upcoming Nations Cup finals - September 13 - 18, 2011
Having acquired an authorized two-thirds replica of the famed America’s Cup after the 2000 New Zealand event, Sail Sheboygan wanted to create an event worthy of such a unique award. With the successful 2007 ISAF effort to get women’s match racing into the 2012 Olympics, Sail Sheboygan determined an international women’s match racing event would be perfect. Because of his close connection with the organization, Olympic and America’s Cup Champion Buddy Melges permitted his name to be associated with the beautiful trophy.
Results:
1st Place - Anna Tunnicliffe, Molly Vandemoer, Debbie Cappozi USA
2nd Place - Anne-Claire Le Berre, Alice Ponsar, Myrtille Ponge FRA
3rd Place - Nicky Souter, Jessica Eastwell, Katie Spithill AUS
4th Place - Julie Bossard, Pauline Chalaux, Pauline Courtois FRA
More information is available on the event website:
http://www.sailsheboygan.org/BMC_2011.php
