Carmen Cowles wins Optimist Girls US Nationals

Pensacola, FL (July 22, 2015) – Eighty-one girls competed today in the Optimist Girls US National Championship, but just one family dominated the event. Completing three races, sisters Carmen Cowles (2-1-2) and Emma Cowles (3-2-1) finished first and second respectively, just one point apart.

Today was deja vu for the Cowels twins of Larchmont NY, as yesterday they were on the undefeated winning Team Race National Championship LISOT Black Team. Now adding to that victory is Carmen as she claims the Maggie Wake Perpetual Trophy with her twin sister Emma second to her. Yesterday was also their birthday.

Rounding out the top five slots were Ariana Fernandez from Guayaquil, Ecuador in third and Sarah Burn of Short Hills New Jersey in fourth and Claire Housey of New Orleans in fifth.

The Cowles girls came to Pensacola from the IODA North American Championship where Emma was first girl and Carmen was second. Their coach, Pepe Bettini, for LISOT said, “They swap wins back and forth.” Carmen is going to the IODA Worlds in Poland and they are both eligible for the Opti Team Cup Berlin in October with LISOT.

The Girls National Championship day started out with an AP flying to keep the girls ashore an wait for the wind to shift from the morning west wind to the southerly sea breeze. When that breeze came, it came strong. The committee was busy shifting marks between races on the Opti ‘Trap’ course, numerous boats were swamped in the 2 foot chop and 16 kt wind and the girls were bailing like crazy to keep their boats racing.

Event website – Results

Carmen Cowles (right of Trophy) won the 2015 USODA Girls National Championship and puts her name on the Maggie Wake Perpetual Trophy and her twin sister Emma was second to her (left of the trophy). Rounding out the top five slots were Ariana Fernandez (R) from Guayaquil, Ecuador in third and Sarah Burn ( 2nd from L) of Short Hills New Jersey in fourth and Claire Housey (L) of New Orleans in fifth. Photo by Talbot Wilson

Report by Talbot Wilson.

Background: The USODA Team Race National Championship had 26 teams racing on July 19-21, which was followed by the 81-boat USODA Girls National Championship on Wednesday (July 22). The finale is the boys and girls racing in the 306-boat USODA National Championship on July 23-26.