Tunnicliffe and Team Maclaren win the 21st Santa Maria Cup

Annapolis, MD. - Anna Tunnicliffe (Team Maclaren) (USA) took four exciting flights to win the 21st Santa Maria Cup today. Second place went to Julie Bossard (France) and third place to Becca Dellenbaugh (USA). There were consistently strong winds on this final day of the Championship accompanied by choppy water. In the third flight of the final, Elodie Fauve of Team Bossard fell overboard and quickly recovered but with the strong winds it meant a chilling finish. Team Ferris-Choat (Canada) finsihed fourth, Team Baylis (USA) was fifth, Team Lehtinen (Finland) was sixth, Team Ruhlman (USA) was seventh and Team Silva (Argentina) was eighth.

The Gay Lynn Trophy is given annually to the skipper of the top finishing Santa Maria Cup skipper in her first Santa Maria Cup. The 2011 winner is Becca Dellenbaugh. A second special Santa Maria Cup award is the Eleanor Ruth Wilcox Memorial Trophy for the Bowperson on the winning team. This award was given to Liz Bower Lewin, who dedicated her trophy to Team Maclaren and spoke too modestly of her role in the team’s victory.

At the Eastport Yacht Club’s "Prizegiving and Farewell Party" tonight, Eastport YC Commodore, Rich Jackson, expressed deep appreciation for the contributions of volunteers, competitors and umpire in making this an exceptional Santa Maria Cup Championship. He also thanked the EYC Race Committee and all the Santa Maria Cup subcommittees for their hard work and generous support of women’s match racing.

Both Commodore Jackson and Regatta Chair, Susan Nahmias, thanked the sponsors of the 2011 Santa Maria Cup. These include BoatU.S., SpinSheet, Go The Airport Shuttle, Eastport Yacht Club Foundation, Boatyard Bar & Grill, Heineken, Gosling’s Rum, Evolution Sails, Dean’s Yacht Repair, West Marine, Historic Annapolis Foundation, National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame and Hell Point Seafood. Each ticket for this event included a complimentary Gosling’s Dark n Stormy and Annapolis area restaurants and caterers donations supported the event through generous contributions of food.

Thank you to all who followed and supported the 2011 Santa Maria Cup! We are already looking forward to 2012.

For more regatta information including photos, please visit www.santamariacup.org.