RAILEY TO DEFEND LEITER CUP AT JUNIOR WOMEN’S SINGLEHANDED CHAMPIONSHIP

29 July 2002 (New Orleans, LA)-Challengers at this year’s U.S. Junior Women’ s Singlehanded Championship will be vying for more than just the Nancy Leiter Clagett Trophy, a prestigious goal in itself, when they launch their Laser Radials at the Southern Yacht Club (New Orleans, LA) on July 31. These young women will also be competing to become the Girls Singlehanded Entrant at the 2003 Youth Sailing ISAF (International Sailing Federation) World Championships representing the United States. US SAILING’s Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship will run through August 4; Vanguard Sailboats is the event sponsor.

Paige Railey (Clearwater, FL), winner of US SAILING’s 2001 U.S. Junior Women ’s Singlehanded Championship for the Leiter Trophy, will return to the championship to defend her title.

Fifty-four other top young women sailors between 13 and 18 years old have signed on to challenge Railey in this open competition.

Nancy Leiter Clagett was a renowned sailor from Marblehead, MA and a champion in classes ranging from small one-designs to Eight-Meters. The first Nancy Leiter Clagett Memorial Trophy was awarded in 1980 at the Ida Lewis Yacht Club of Newport (R.I.).

The Leiter Cup, a perpetual trophy donated by C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. in memory of his wife, will be presented to the winner of the U.S. Junior Women ’s Singlehanded Championship.

Competition for this trophy was originally held among yacht clubs on Narragansett Bay. In 1985, US SAILING sanctioned this event as the U.S. Junior Women's Championship. It became an open event for U.S. women, without a pre-qualification round. The championship is moved each year to different parts of the United States to build interest among young women sailors across the country. Next year’s event will be held at the Mentor Harbor Yacht Club (Mentor on the Lake, Ohio, near Cleveland), with dates to be determined.

Keeper trophies will be awarded to the top three skippers. US SAILING Medals will be awarded to the top five finishes. Winner of the Sportsmanship Trophy will be awarded based upon results of the competitors’ secret ballot. For more information, contact the regatta chairman, Chris V. Clement at
(504) 835-1530 or chris@sowalls.com or the Committee Chair, Joe East at
(334) 928-4543 or JEast36532@aol.com or the US SAILING website, http://www.ussailing.org/Leiter/, or the Southern Yacht Club website, www.southernyachtclub.org

For more information about the Leiter Trophy Championship, visit http://www.ussailing.org/Leiter/. For more information about US SAILING’s Championship series, visit www.ussailing.org/championships or contact Linda Christofersen at Christofersen@ussailing.org or at 401-683-0800.

Vanguard is the leading world manufacturer, and largest US supplier, of recreational and high performance small sailboats. Vanguard products include the Sunfish and Laser, two of the most recognized brands in the sailing world. Vanguard was started in 1967 and is located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Visit their website at www.teamvanguard.com <http://www.teamvanguard.com>.

The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is the national governing body for the sport of sailing. The mission of this volunteer organization is to encourage participation and promote excellence in sailing and racing in the United States. More information about US SAILING, which is headquartered in Portsmouth, RI, is available at www.ussailing.org.