U.S. Team Racing Championship at Annapolis Yacht Club

Chesapeake Bay featured an array of colorful sails in Zim 15 sailboats comprised of teams wearing custom designed pinnies – a trademark of the U.S. Team Racing Championship. On Sunday, an exciting knockout series featuring quarterfinal, semifinal, and final rounds determined who would stake claim to the historic George R. Hinman Trophy.

The championship came down to the wire Sunday afternoon in a winner take all final race. In the end it was a team named Kirkwood Ticklers defeating Jet Lag, 2-1, in the final series to win the 2015 U.S. Team Racing Championship. These two teams were evenly matched and dominant throughout the regatta. The championship was decided in the closing seconds of Race 3 in the Finals. Kirkwood Ticklers is comprised of Will Bailey (Marblehead, Mass.), Sam Madden (Arlington, Mass.), Scott Sinks (San Diego, Calif.), Allison Ferraris (Manhasset, N.Y.), Raul Rios (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico), and Katja Sertl (Rochester, N.Y.).

Kirkwood Ticklers went 28-7 over three days of racing this week. They won 2-1 in the semifinals over Leis Queens and 2-0 over Brown People. This morning they went 4-1 in the Gold fleet seeding series. On Friday and Saturday they were 9-2 in each of the Qualifying round robin stages.

Jet Lag also had an impressive week of racing by going 26-8 overall. The team includes Kevin Laube (San Francisco, Calif.), Samantha Steele (San Francisco, Calif.), Mateo Vargas (Treasure Island, Fla.), Tally Buckstaff (Menlo Park, Calif.), Oliver Toole (Palo Alto, Calif.), and Carolyn Ortel (Palo Alto, Calif.).

The 2015 U.S. Team Racing Championship, hosted by the Annapolis Yacht Club with the support of Severn Sailing Association, featured Former U.S. Team Racing Champion sailors, collegiate All-Americans, new teams, and an impressive collection of sailors who have had success in various disciplines and racing backgrounds.

This premier team racing event in the United States is an invitational event. First held in 1981, the U.S. Team Racing Championship remains one of the hottest events in the country for collegiate and post-collegiate sailors. Interested teams applied by resume. The championship was raced in three-boat/six-person teams (three skippers and three crews).

Team racing is one of the most popular disciplines in sailing. Over 100 races are sailed in just a few days. Races, or flights, are shorter than traditional race courses. Three flights are racing simultaneously with teams swapping out after each race.

Quotes:

Will Bailey (Kirkwood Ticklers, Captain)
"We sailed against them in the past when they were at Stanford and we were at BC. We also sailed the Hinman against them last year. It seems like every race against them comes down to the end like that. They are always pushing just as hard as we are."

Sam Madden (Kirkwood Ticklers)
"It was a great regatta and it's always a little sweeter when you come out on top in the end. There was great competition and a great weekend with friends."

Justin Law (The Triumvirate) – Quote from Saturday
"Annapolis Yacht Club and the Umpires did great today. They pushed the limit for this national championship and that's what you have to do."

Mike McBrien (Hawks Peacocks) – Quote from Saturday
"It has been a lot of fun in these boats, going as fast as these boats can go. The team racing was great and it was definitely close with the heavy breeze."

For results, standings, complete rosters, video highlights (to be posted this week), photos, Twitter updates, and more information from the 2015 U.S. Team Racing Championship, please visit the event website.

The 2015 U.S. Team Racing Championship is sponsored by Zim Sailing, Gill North America, Hobie Polarized, Old Pulteney, and Switlik Survival Products.