USA dominates ISAF Team Racing World Championship

Published on July 23rd, 2015

Rutland, Great Britain (July 23, 2015) – The 2015 ISAF Team Racing World Championship came to a close today with a dominant USA team heading home with two Division titles.

Based on Friday’s forecast in and around Rutland, race officials made the decision today to finish the regatta a day ahead of schedule (July 20-24) which made for an action packed finale of round-robin, semi finals and finals.

In a hotly contested Open Division, it was USA1 who streaked ahead of the competition to finish in top spot and take home the Gold.

Finishing top of the Gold League earlier in the day, World Champions GBR1 had first choice of semi final opponents and choose USA3. They would regret the decision as they lost 3-2 to the Americans who advanced into the final.

That choice left USA1 and GBR2 to contest the other semi final, and it was again the Americans who picked up their game to advance 3-0 to set up an all USA final, and would leave Great Britain to fight it out for bronze.

USA1 turned a 3-0 semi final win into a 3-0 final win, as they beat their compatriots to the title of ISAF Team Racing World Champions with a perfect record in the knockout stages.

USA1 was comprised with Michael Menninger, Justin Law, Adrienne Kamiler, Haley Kirk, Lucy Wallace, and Tyler Sinks.

The USA3 roster included Clinton Hayes, Ben Greenfiled, Mark Dineen, Laura Walsh-Regalski, Bianca Rom, and Charlotte Williamson.

Rounding out the podium were GBR1 who won the battle of the Brits 2-1 in the bronze medal match up.

“We really appreciate what everyone’s done here for the sport,” USA 1 team captain Tyler Sinks said. “The whole field was extremely competitive and we’re proud to share the podium with you guys (USA 3 and GBR 1).”

The Youth Division was also won by a deserved USA team as USA Y1 dominated the field to win Gold.

Heading straight into the final thanks to topping the round-robin stage, USA Y1 had the luxury of watching who their opponents would be from GBR Y1 and GBR Y3.

GBR Y3 won the petit final 3-2 to advance leaving GBR Y1 with the bronze medal.

Again showing their dominance, USA Y1 scored a 3-0 win to take Gold and match the efforts of their Open Division team mates, ensuring the teams from the USA leave the regatta with both Divisional titles.

Sailing for USA Y1 was Eli Burnes, Henry Burnes, Charlie Hibben, Paige Dunleavy, Ginny Alex, and Peter Barron.

“One of our team members couldn’t make it so we brought in Paige Dunlevy, who had never team raced in a dinghy a week ago,” said Robert Barron, stand-in coach for USA Y1. “Team member Eli Burnes, who’s twin brother Henry is also in the team, put this into motion six months ago as part of an 18 months programme at Milton Academy, San Francisco, aimed at retaining the national team racing title in America. Today they lost no races – it’s brilliant.”

Event website – Results – Team rosters – Photos – Additional report