Women's Match - Introductory Clinic With Match Racing Expert Henry Menin Featured

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. (March 21, 2005) – Over 40 women are headed to St. Petersburg, Fla. next month to learn the art of America’s Cup-style racing. From April 7-10, St. Petersburg Yacht Club (SPYC) will host the Rolex Women’s Match, an International Sailing Federation (ISAF) grade 4 event. Established in 2002 to introduce women sailors to one-on-one match racing, the regatta’s unique format features a combination of a skills and rules clinic followed by round robin racing in Sonar keelboats on Tampa Bay.

"This year we are delighted to have ISAF International Umpire Henry Menin (St. Thomas, USVI) conducting the clinic," said Pat Seidenspinner (St. Petersburg), co-organizer of the Rolex Women’s Match. "His experiences of serving as Chief Umpire at the Rolex Osprey Cup and umpiring in the previous America’s Cup, as well as his service as the current chairman of ISAF's Match Racing Committee will undoubtedly provide all of the participants with a thorough and insightful course in match racing."

All of the registered skippers have participated in previous editions of the Rolex Women’s Match, with three of the skippers – Karen Park (St. Petersburg), Chafee Emory (Newport, R.I.) and Sue McDowell (Bay Village, Ohio) – making their debut at the helm.

"My first exposure to match racing was in 2003 when I crewed for Nancy Zangerle in this event, and I loved it," said McDowell. "Having the clinic prior to the on-the-water racing makes this a little less intimidating. I skipper my J/22 in fleet races and know that participating in match racing events will definitely improve my overall skills. This will be the first time that two of my team members will crew in a match-racing event. We are all very excited!"

The 10 skippers, with team members, scheduled to compete:

1. Elizabeth Kratzig (Miami Beach, Fla./Corpus Christi, Texas), 2003 Rolex Women’s Match champion, with crew Lenka Smidova, 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist in the Europe Dinghy from the Czech Republic; Carrie Howe and Liz Hall.

2. Kristin Britt (St. Petersburg, Fla.) with crew Alyson Dagly, Kelley Simpson and Allison Schnur.

3. Louise Bienvenue (New Orleans, La.) with crew Michelle Hitter, Janice Griglack and one TBD.

4. Arabella Denvir (Irvington, Va.) with crew Jessamine Lewis, Trisha Birkenstock and Jessica Lord.

5. Chafee Emory (Newport, R.I.) with crew Brandy Wood, Jamie Haines and Tara Thomas

6. Kathy Lundeen (Sheboygan, Wisc.) with crew Denise Strand, Robyn Barnett and Sue Michos.

7. Sue Mc Dowell (Bay Village, Ohio) with crew Debbie Gibbs, Laura Dunn Goldberg and Bev Keeler.

8. Karen Park (St. Petersburg, Fla.) with crew TBD.

9. Rachael Silverstein (St. Petersburg, Fla.) with crew Kaylyn Brickey, Kristin Herman and Abby Ethington.

10. Nancy Zangerle (Cleveland, Ohio) with crew Mary Cay Tylee, Mary Jordan and Debi Schoenherr.

The winner of the Rolex Women’s Match will gain an automatic invitation to compete in the Rolex Osprey Cup, an ISAF Grade 1 match racing event scheduled for October 27 – November 1, 2005.

Results will be posted on St. Petersburg Yacht Club’s Rolex Women’s Match website www.rolexwomensmatch.org.