ALPENA, MI — Eight teams of women sailors have traveled to northern Michigan to go head to head this weekend aboard three-person Ynglings on Lake Huron. The event, hosted by the Alpena Yacht Club, is a Grade Four match-race regatta and a qualifier for the Rolex Thompson Cup, a Grade 1 event to be sailed in Sonars August 24-27 at Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club in Oyster Bay, NY.
The Rolex Alpena Invitational is one of several new regattas that US Sailing's Olympic Sailing Committee is promoting in light of ISA's recommendation to the International Olympic Sailing Committee that women's match racing be included in the 2004 Games.
The list of sailors competing includes:
1. Elizabeth Baylis of San Rafael, CA, with crew Stephanie Wondolleck and Aimee Hess.
2. Sandy Hayes of Scituate, MA, with crew Ellen Federman and Sally Jacquemin.
3. Susanne Leech of Avon, CT with crew Capucine Pin and Diane Sullivan.
4. Karen Lynch of Scituate, MA, with crew Kiki Zainea and Tammy Ouellette.
5. Jody Swanson of Amherst, NY, with crew: Cory Sertl and Dina Kowalyshyn.
6. Hannah Swett of New York, NY, with crew Melissa Purdy and Joan Touchette.
7. Katie Pettibone of Port Huron, MI, with a crew yet to be announced.
8. Sharon Seymour of Toronto, Ontario, with crew: Ann Marie Shewfelt and Katherine Killen.
