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Branford Sailors Win National Team Racing Championship

Branford Sailors Win National Team Racing Championship.

Emmet Smith, third generation crew member and sometimes skipper of Wasabi sailed as part of Team Extreme to win the 2009 US Sailing Team Racing National Championships at the Beverly Yacht Club in Marion Massachusetts on September 25 -27. Team Extreme defeated the current National and World Champion, New York Yacht Club entry, Team Silver Panda in the final race of the final best of five series after a three day elimination series. The competition for the George R. Hinman Trophy included 16 teams from around the country selected on the basis of team resumes. The teams competed in identical Vanguard -15s. The field included eight US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics members, five former ICSA College Sailors of the Year, and three former ICSA Quantum Women Sailors of the Year.

 

Team Extreme was comprised of current and former members of the Yale sailing team, including team captain Stuart McNay, Michael Hession, Zachary Brown, Emmet Smith, Thomas Barrows and Marla Menninger. Team extreme completed day one of the series undefeated, but fell to fifth place on day two in light winds. A final best of five match between Team Extreme and Team Silver Panda culminated the 195 race elimination series. The three boat, two person per boat teams faced each other in driving rain and 25 knot winds, trading wins up to the final race. The George R. Hinman Trophy perpetual trophy will go to the Yale Sailing center in Short Beach.

More information is available at

http://media.ussailing.org/US_SAILING_Media_Home/Latest_News/USTRC_Final_Release.htm