US Women’s Match Racing title cancelled

The 2020 U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship, scheduled for August 21-23 in San Diego, CA, has been cancelled due to the uncertainty and health restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 disease.

“The health of the competitors, volunteers, race officials, and our communities is the utmost priority,” said Janel Zarkowsky, Championship Co-Chair. “We value the high level of competition that is created when teams can travel safely from across the nation, and we do not believe that will be achieved this year.“

Depending on what the restrictions look like this August, discussions are underway for championship host San Diego Yacht Club to offer a match race clinic and casual match racing event during the original 2020 dates.

The U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship originated from the U.S. Women’s Open Championship regatta founded in 1974 for fleet racing. In 2000, a motion to change the event from fleet racing to match racing was passed and the first U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship was held at Southern Yacht Club (New Orleans, LA) in November 2002.

The Allegra Knapp Mertz Trophy is presented to the winner in honor of “Leggy” Mertz, a four-time winner of the U.S. Women’s National Championship and former Chair of the Women’s Championship Committee. The Adams Memorial Trophy is presented to the runner-up in honor of Mrs. Henry (Adams) Morgan.

Allie Blecher (Long Beach, Calif.) won the 17th U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship in 2019.

The 2021 event is being tentatively scheduled for August 19-22 in San Diego, CA.

Details: https://www.ussailing.org/competition/championships/2020-u-s-womens-match-racing-championship/
Questions: Championships@USSailing.org.