SANTA MARIA CUP
USA’s Nicole Breault/ Vela Racing and Allie Blecher/Team Baam have both advanced to the final of the Santa Maria Cup in Annapolis, the second stage of the 2025 Women’s World Match Racing Tour championship. After a challenging third day of racing, Breault defeated Australia’s Juliet Costanzo/ Easy Tiger Racing 3-0 in their semi-final pairing, with Blecher defeating defending champion, Sweden’s Anna Östling and Team Wings, 3-1 in their semi-final match. The flagship women’s world tour event is hosted by the Eastport Yacht Club, continuing a long history of the event for over 20 years.
The third and penultimate day of racing at the Santa Maria Cup put all teams to the test in earlier light and shifty conditions before the breeze built gradually during the day as the temperature increased.
The order of play for today was to complete the semi-final matches and a Queen of the Castle knock out series to determine the 5th-8th places.
Despite multiple lead changes during the racing, the results of the round robin proved correct with each of the higher seeds keeping their round robin positions after the Queen of the Castle series.
In the first of the semi-final matches, four-time US women’s match racing champion Nicole Breault and team from the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco demonstrated their tactical experience in the J22 yachts to overcome Australia’s Juliet Costanzo and her Easy Tiger Racing with three straight wins in the first-to-three points match.
“We felt like we had some speed edge today” said Breault. “It was a day of changing gears and needing to sail well to the pressure which fortunately we were able to do.”
In the second semi-final pairing,USA’s Allie Blecher/ Team Baam, representing the California Yacht Club had the challenge of facing defending Santa Maria Cup champions Team Wings from Sweden skippered by Anna Östling.
After picking up a penalty in the prestart of the first race, Östling and team managed to maintain a lead and take the first win of the first-to-three points match. Blecher was able to level the second match to 1-1.
The third match proved a close battle all the way to the finish with Blecher crossing the line barely a half boat length ahead of the Swedish team. With a 2-1 lead and match point, Blecher led the fourth match upwind only to be overtaken by Östling at the first leeward gate. Choosing the left side of the course on the second upwind leg, Blecher was able to close the gap, rounding the second upwind mark with a boat length lead and holding the lead to the finish to take the 3-1 match win.
“When the breeze eventually filled in, we were able to put the Swedish [Wings] team on the back foot which was exciting for us” said Blecher. “I really have a great team with me this week and fortunately we were able to build on that momentum today and take us to the final.”
With Principal Race Officer Sandy Grosvenor from Annapolis keeping a close eye on the forecasted lighter breeze and for tomorrow, the final between the two American teams will take place from a scheduled 9am to determine the 2025 Santa Maria Cup Champion.
For full results, see www.matchracingresults.com
For more information on the Women’s World Match Racing Tour, visit https://womenswmrt.com/
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Entries:
Anna Östling, Linnéa Wennergren, Annika Carlunger, Svea Sahlin
Juliet Costanzo, Sarah Parker, Clare Costanzo, Rachel Bower
Bridget Groble, Morgan Collins, Marley Mais, Madison Bashaw
Nicole Breault, Evan Brown Cahill, McKenzie Wilson, Julie Mitchell
Allie Blecher, Beka Schiff, Rose Edwards, Ali Blumenthal Stokes
Lindsey Baab, Kate Shiber, Ayaka Okawa, Abigayle Konys Moreno
Caroline Bayless, Emma Montgomery , Noelle Owen, Savannah Young
Ella Willcox, Gwynie Dunleavy, Miia Newman, Sydney Monahan
