| ST. PETERSBURG, FL. USA-(25-10-2005) Though St. Petersburg, Fla. has had to deal with the effects of the Hurricane Wilma, organizers of the Rolex Osprey Cup confirmed today that the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Grade 1 women’s match racing regatta will go on as scheduled, October 27-30. The St. Petersburg Yacht Club, host to the regatta, has not sustained damage to its clubhouse or sailing center where the club’s fleet of Sonar class keelboats, slated for service in the Rolex Osprey Cup, are located.
`After reviewing and reviewing, and further reviewing the many forecasts and computer models for Hurricane Wilma's track during several days in advance of the event, we decided to proceed with it,` said Pat Seidenspinner, regatta co-chair with Tom Farquhar. `There is some risk of higher than normal winds early in the week and, as is always the case with hurricanes, there was some risk that Wilma would do something unpredictable. We considered those risks to be manageable. We will do everything in our power to ensure the safety of everyone connected with the event.`
The skippers roster shows an interesting mix of international talent. Returning champion and world #1 match racer Claire Leroy of France will have her work cut out for her as she will face nine outstanding sailors from five different countries, including Malin Millbourn, the 2003 world champion.
Two competitors received invitations to this event based on their performance at the Rolex Women’s Match, a grade 4 event held this past April at the SPYC. Elizabeth Kratzig (Miami Beach, Fla./Corpus Christi, Texas) will have crew members 2004 Olympic Silver Medallist Lenka Smidova, Amanda Callahan and Alix Manley. Rachael Silverstein (St. Petersburg, Fla.) also qualified and will have crew members Jee Lee, Kristin Herman and Becca Thomas.
Skippers confirmed for the event:
1. Giulia Conti, (Circolo Vela Toscolano Maderno, Brescia, Italy)
Crew: Alessandra Marenzi, Giovanna Micol, Giulia Mazzotti
ISAF rank: 30
At age 18, she represented Italy in the Olympic Yngling Class at Athens and since then, Conti has focused on team racing, competing in the Grey Goose ISAF Team Racing Worlds, where the Italian team was named `most improved.` She continues to train and compete in the 470 class with crew Giovanna Micol.
2. Arabella Denvir (IRL)
ISAF rank: 69
Crew: Jessamine Lewis, Karen Park, Susan Wallace
3. Linda Härsjö (SWE)
ISAF rank: 61
Crew: Anna Kjellberg, Vanja Lundberg, Theres Hjalmarsson
4. Sandy Hayes (Scituate, Mass.)
Crew: Sandi Svoboda, Cindy Olsen, Kiki Zainea
ISAF rank: 13
As a skipper in 2005, Hayes placed second at 2005 Mayor’s Cup (Long Beach, Calif.) and third at the 2005 Sundance Cup. Crewing for Betsy Alison, she placed fourth at the Santa Maria Cup.
5. Elizabeth Kratzig (Miami Beach, Fla.)
Crew: Lenka Smidova, Alix Manley, Amanda Callahan
ISAF rank: 17
2003 Rolex Women's Match (ISAF grade 3) champion
6. Claire Leroy (St. Quentin, France)
Crew: Dorothée Martin d'Auray, Ophelie Theron Morgane Gautier
ISAF rank: 1
2005 BoatUS Santa Maria Cup – second
2005 Swedish Match Cup - second
2004 Rolex Osprey Cup champion
2003 Trentino Women’s Match Race (ISAF grade 1) champion
7. Katy Lovell (New Orleans, La., USA)
ISAF rank: 67
Crew: Debbie Willits, Dana Bethancourt, Patricia Holdaway
2005 Sundance Cup – fourth
2005 Mayor’s Cup - third
8. Malin Millbourn (Stockholm, Sweden)
ISAF rank: 21
Crew: Kim Kulstad, Nina Barne, Marie Öberg
Millbourn is the 2003 ISAF World Women’s Match Racing champion and recently won the Swedish Match Cup and the Nordic chamopionships.
9. Rachael Silverstein (St. Petersburg Yacht Club, St. Petersburg, Fla.)
Crew: Jee Lee, Kristin Herman, Becca Thomas
ISAF rank: 54
Local junior sailor, youngest competitor in the event, second-place finisher in the 2004 Rolex Women’s Match and skipper in two previous Rolex Osprey Cups
10. Anna Tunnicliffe (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., USA)
ISAF: NR
Crew: Ali Sharp, Janet Thacker, Genoa Griffin
Anna is a member of the U.S. Sailing Team in the Radial Class. She is currently ranked 17th in the ISAF world rankings. She was named 2005 Quantum College Sailor of the Year and was a three time women's All-American and a coed All-American at Old Dominion University.
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