In the summer of 2023, I had the opportunity to observe the US Women’s Match Racing
Championships in Annapolis, Maryland. I was inspired by the talent and kindness of all the women involved. After the event, I reached out to a friend, and together, we began searching for women’s match racing events. We competed in one of the USWMRC qualifiers—she as skipper, and me as mainsail trimmer. Unfortunately, we did not qualify, but it left me wanting more. I knew I wanted to apply for the 2024 Championships, and with a little push from my college coach, Janel Martin, I applied as a skipper. I hadn’t skippered a regatta since 2020, so I doubted I’d be selected. But with a bit of luck, on May 3rd, I was accepted to skipper the event and immediately started assembling my team.
While putting my team together, the biggest concern was finances, and I wanted to do what I could to alleviate that stress. I explored different grants and ultimately decided to
apply to the Annapolis Yacht Club Foundation (AYCF). On June 14th, Kathy Parks informed me of the incredible news that my application for the AYCF grant had been accepted! With the grant, I was finally able to solidify my team.
From the front to the back of the boat:
• Miia Newman on the bow
• Eva Fortunato on jib/pit
• Whitney Kent on the mainsail
• Gwynie Dunlevy as skipper
Our team had never sailed together before, but we were all seasoned sailors with some match racing experience, so I was confident we could keep up with the more experienced teams.
Whitney, Eva, and I attended the optional clinic before the 2024 USWMRC. Chris Kennedy led the clinic through the David Storrs Match Racing Fund. Since our team had never sailed together, our goal was to learn about each other and make the boat as fast as possible. We practiced going around the course on the water, focusing mainly on starts. This practice helped us get comfortable sailing together and gave us the confidence to tune up with the other teams.
On the first day of the event, we had a northerly breeze of 10 to 15 knots. The Race Committee completed a full round-robin—90 races, with each team racing 9 times—before the breeze shut off around 5:30 p.m. Our team had 4 wins and 5 losses,
putting us in a tie for 6th place. Four of our losses occurred in our first four races. After our bye, we won the next four races and then lost the last one. Every loss felt close, never a blowout; it always came down to one or two rash decisions. We made
sure to ask the umpires and fellow competitors questions about our races to learn from our mistakes. Everyone was approachable and enthusiastic about
sharing their knowledge of match racing.
On the second day, the wind was 5 to 8 knots from the northeast, with significant chop. The plan for the day was to start with the quarterfinals and then move on to
the consolation round-robin. In the quarterfinals, it was the best of five races (first to three points) with the top 8 teams. The first-seeded team raced against the
eighth-seeded team, the second-seeded team against the seventh-seeded, and so on. Since we were tied for 6th and lost the last race in the round-robin, we were
seeded 7th against Allie Blecher, the defending champion. We had beaten her team in the first round, proving we had the skill and speed to compete again. Our goal was to win at least one race against Blecher’s team. We were close in all three races, but
unfortunately, they topped us in each match.
The consolation round-robin consisted of the bottom six teams. We won two out of five races, which was frustrating because we knew we could do better. This round dropped us from 7th to 9th place overall. These were the races where I learned the most. They tested our boat handling, communication, and patience. Ensuring that your team stays strong in these three areas is the key to success.
The final day of racing was dedicated to the semifinals and finals. Although we weren’t racing, we still went to the racecourse to watch and shadow the umpires. I’ve found that one of the best ways to learn is by umpiring. It teaches you the rules, how to
react in specific scenarios, and how to strategize. I am always grateful to those who take time out of their schedules to umpire because, without them, the
competition wouldn’t be as intense. Everyone should umpire at least once; it’s one of the best ways to give back to our sport.
Our biggest takeaway from that weekend was the importance of practice. We knew we had enough skill to compete at this level, and with more time on the water at match racing events and clinics, we could make it to the semifinals. We realized that when we needed to catch up in races, we would sometimes make rash decisions due to unfamiliarity with the necessary steps to regain the lead. The USWMRC was the start of our journey. We plan to find more events to attend to continue honing our match racing skills and spend more time sailing together as a team.
I am incredibly grateful for the support of the AYCF, which allowed my team and me to attend this event. Without this grant, I wouldn’t have been able to put together a team in time. The USWMRC opened up a new world of sailing for me, and I am excited to continue.
My goal is to enhance my match racing skills by attending clinics and events before the 2025 USWMRC in San Francisco, California. I extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone at the AYCF who helped turn sailors’ dreams into reality.
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