TEAM’MER Trounces J/70 Women’s Keelboat Worlds

(Valle de Bravo, Mexico)- For the first time in event history, the revitalized 2017 International Women’s Keelboat Championship, a US Sailing Championship, was held outside the United States. Club de Vela La Peña A.C. in Valle de Bravo, Mexico hosted the 16th edition of this historic event and provided the competitors with a unique experience.

Eleven teams representing Canada, Germany, Mexico, and USA raced on a matched fleet of J/70 one-design sailboats from August 15th to 18th.  In the end, the team representing the American Yacht Club (Rye, N.Y.), led by skipper Megan Ploch (Pelham, N.Y.), edged out the competition in a closely contested 6-team Championship Round. After beginning the final day in third place, their victory earned them the right to compete at the 2018 SAILING Championship League World qualifier in Europe!

The winning TEAM’MER featured American YC skipper Megan Ploch (Clearwater, FL) along with the trio of Alix Hahn (Norwalk, Conn.), Carolyn Russell (Greenwich, Conn.) and Erin Sprague (Greenwich, Conn.). Amazingly, Megan’s “trio” was also the winning crew in the 2016 International Women’s Keelboat Championship hosted by American YC.

Placing second was CHIQUITAS PERO PICOSAS, a local team representing Club de Vela La Peña, skippered by Camila Flores (Mexico City, Mexico) with teammates Casilda Flores (Mexico City, Mexico), Ana Clare Sole (Houston, Texas) and Manuela Legorreta (Mexico City, Mexico). Flores was in first place entering the Championships Round, and although they sailed well in each of the six races, they were unable to stay atop the leader board.

TEAM CJ RACING- comprised of Emily Maxwell (New York, N.Y.), Elizabeth Dudley (Boston, Mass.), Avery Field (New York, N.Y.) and Katy Nastro (Huntington, N.Y.)- finished in third place.

While Megan Ploch’s crew on TEAM’MER dominated the finals- posting two bullets, two 2nds and three 3rds- no one else even came close to their consistency.  The Flores sisters on CHIQUITAS PERO PICOSAS won the first two races of the Championship Round, but then they faded into the blue with a 3-5-4-2 in their final races.

The racing was so tight in race six that any of four teams behind TEAM’MER could have finished second through fourth. Flores had 17 points, and Maxwell was tied at 19 with Giselle Camet (San Diego, Calif.), so it was anyone’s race to take. In the end, Maxwell just edged out Camet on the final run to secure the Bronze medal.  As a result, rounding out the top five were Camet’s San Diego YC Team in 4th place and Eliane Fierro’s RACING COMADRES in 5th place.  Follow the J/70 Women’s Keelboat World’s on Facebook here   For more International J/70 Women’s Keelboat Championship sailing informationAdd to Flipboard Magazine.


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