The Rolex Women’s Match, an International Sailing Federation (ISAF) grade 4 women’s match racing event took place at St Petersburg YC from 22-24 February. Organised to introduce women sailors to one-on-one match racing, the regatta featured a skills and rules clinic by match racing world champion and America’s Cup skipper Ed Baird on February 21. Ten teams of women sailors participated in the weekend event, sailing 45 races – round robin-style – on Tampa Bay in Sonar keelboats.

True to the regatta’s mission of encouraging more women to try match racing, the event attracted women sailors of all ages and abilities. Sally Barkow, a college student from Charlotte, won all of her races to win the regatta. Sailing with Barkow were Debe Capozzi, Anna Tunnicliffe and Jessica Simpson. Arabella Denvir, an experienced match racer from Irvington, came in second place, with Evan Brown, a SPYC junior sailor, in third. An awards ceremony was held Sunday evening at SPYC and was hosted by the event’s PRO Tom Farquhar and regatta organiser Pat Seidenspinner, who also skippered a boat in the regatta.

Overall Results

1. Sally Barkow (Charlotte. N.C./Nashota, Wisc.) Debe Capozzi, Anna Tunnicliffe, Jessica Simpson

2. Arabella Denvir (Irvington, Va.) Jessamine Lewis, Dianne Sullivan, Jean Bauer

3. Evan Brown (Tampa, Fla.) Kristin Britt, Alyson Dagly, Rachael Silverstein, Abby Ethington, Betsy Bryant

4. Nancy Zangerle (Cleveland, Ohio) Kathy Hutchinson, Kellie Hawkins Schaffner, Shellie Irwin

5. Jessica Lord (Sausalito, Calif.) Liz Hjorth, Sarah Carlson, Pam Granger

6. Sandy Hayes (Scituate, Mass.) Kim Hapgood, Julie Wilkinson, Deneen Demour

kas 7. Janie Davis (Oklahoma City, Okla.) Lisa Pim, Mandy Hofmeister, Sandy Swenson

8. Pat Seidenspinner (St. Petersburg, Fla.) Carole Bardes, Karen Park, Susan Wallace

9. Tammy Ouelette (Watertown, Mass.) Amy Whelan, Ashley Perrin, Susan Epstein

10. Jamie Matuszak (Toledo, Ohio) Sue Grassley, Lisa Rychel, Cerise May