Nicole Breault claims U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship

Published on August 16th, 2015

Newport Beach, CA (August 16, 2015) – Newport Beach offered a spectacular backdrop for match racing as the U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship (Aug 14-16) came to a climactic finish on Sunday. Janel Zarkowsky and Nicole Breault clashed in a winner-take-all final series after Sunday’s semifinal knock-out round and two round robin stages completed by the seven teams Friday and Saturday.

In the end, it was Breault and crew Molly Carapiet, Karen Loutzenheiser, and Emily Hill who earned the right to hoist the Allegra Knapp Mertz Trophy in Southern California on Sunday. The win for Breault was extra special after placing second last year to Stephanie Roble.

The win for Breault earned her a bid to race at the 2015 Buddy Melges Challenge on September 17-20 at Sail Sheboygan (Wis.) and the 2015 U.S. Match Racing Championship on October 10-12 at Oakcliff Sailing (N.Y.).

They defeated a very talented and experienced match racing team comprised of Zarkowsky and crew Rebecca Dellenbaugh (Easton, Conn.), Amanda Callahan (Portsmouth, R.I.), and Isabelle Luzuriaga (Charleston, S.C.). Zarkowsky crewed for Roble last year and Callahan crewed for Sally Barkow’s 2011 championship team. Zarkowsky, Dellenbaugh, and Callahan crewed for Dave Dellenbaugh’s 2013 U.S. Match Racing Championship team.

Zarkowsky (Annapolis, Md.) and Breault (San Francisco, Calif.) each advanced to the finals after sweeping their semifinal opponents, 3-0. Breault defeated Morgan Wilson (Port Washington, N.Y.), while Zarkowsky beat Sandy Hayes (Scituate, Mass.).

Zarkowsky won the two round robin match-ups against Breault. Zarkowsky was the number one seed entering the semifinals with an 11-1 record. Breault was the number two seed with a 10-2 mark. Zarkowsky’s only loss came against Wilson.

By placing runner-up, Zarkowsky’s team earned the Mrs. Charles Francis Adams Memorial Trophy.

The 2015 edition of the U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship was hosted by the Newport Harbor Yacht Club. Seven talented teams of four raced Governor’s Cup 21 sailboats over three days after two days of clinics and practice. This weekend’s racing took place in the Pacific Ocean offshore of the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach.

Event details – Final standings – List of Teams