October 27, 2011
Miami, FL

Another beautiful day on Biscayne Bay allowed the race committee to complete seven flights and get the day done around 3pm. Team Maclaren had a great day and came off the water with a 4-0 score line to add to yesterday's 6-1 day. Team Barkow also went 4-0 and overnight leader Team Tulloch had a 3-1 day. The scores are close with three more races left in the round robin.

Photo: (copyright) US Sailing AlphaGraphics 2011

We had a relaxing start to the day again, sitting out the first flight. We then sailed one race, sat out one more then sailed three to finish our day with a bye in the last flight of the day too.

Our closest race was our first race of the day against Kaity Storck and team. We wanted the right of them off the start line, and got it, but shortly thereafter the wind went left and they crossed us by two or three lengths. Kaity did a great job at keeping us behind them up the first beat. We were able to catch up to them by the top mark and round just behind them. We had a slightly better spinnaker set than them and were able to soak to inside of them on the downwind leg. When it came time to gybe, we were just able to get over the top of them, but they was able to keep the pressure on for the whole downwind leg so that it made it hard for us to get to the leeward mark zone. We just squeezed in and were able to make it and take the lead as we rounded the leeward mark. Upwind, we had to pay attention to and maximise on the wind shifts, while at the same time, keeping Kaity and team behind us. (Race Committee : Photo: (copyright) US Sailing AlphaGraphics 2011)

We were able to extend to a four length lead on the upwind leg. Rounding the top mark we gybed into a left hand shift, while Kaity continued straight and sailed for the puff on the right hand side of the course. We gybed over to connect back up to them meeting up with the puff just in time because they had closed the gap to about two lengths. From there, we headed into the finish line.

Tomorrow we will continue with the round robin and then start the semi finals. The forecast for the rest of the week looks great now as the hurricane has now decided to stay away from the US altogether.

We would very much like to thank our Title Sponsor, Maclaren, our Gold Level Sponsors 11th Hour Racing and Laser Performance, and our Bronze Level Sponsors Carmeuse, Trinity Yachts, Chicago Match Race Center and Sperry Top-Sider for their continued support of our campaign for the 2012 Olympic Games. We would also like to thank US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics (USSTAG) and its sponsors for their continued support. Also, thank you to our private donors. Please remember that any and all donations/contributions to our campaign should be made payable directly to either The Sailing Foundation of New York (tax deductible) memo'd Anna Tunnicliffe, or to Anna Tunnicliffe.

Sail Hard,

And as usual, don't forget, email us your questions and comments. We love getting them and sharing our love of sailing and women's match racing.