At the end of September, I traveled to Rochester New York to compete at the 2023 US Match Racing Championship for the Prince of Wales Bowl. My three other teammates, who are all current or past members of my collegiate sailing team, traveled from around the country to meet me in Rochester.
This event was our first time to test ourselves against some of the best match racers in the country, including world-ranked #1 and multiple other top 30 world-ranked match racers. The format was a single round robin into quarter-finals, then sem-finals, and then finals. Rochester Yacht Club had a great setup, with 8 sonars and warm hospitality. Lake Ontario also provided great conditions, each day brought wind into the teens and one day over 20kts. These conditions provided a challenge for all competitors trying to optimize their boat handling, which is all-important in match racing.
The regatta was very enjoyable and full of great competition. After a sluggish start, my team was able to go on a hot streak and finish 4th after the round-robin. This set us up for a hard-fought 4v5 quarterfinal match-up, against the reigning champion. After a full three races, we came away with the overall 2-1 win, which we were very proud of. Going into the last day, we had big hopes but unfortunately could not get our groove going. Although we lost our semi-final series, we came away with the feeling we could go head-to-head with any of the adult match racing teams. Something I hope to keep testing in the future!
I’d like to thank the San Diego Yacht Club and the Competition Fund for their continued support in my and others' sailing. It is a great feeling to be able to represent the Yacht Club at these national-level events!