It was a day of ups and downs on the water, but we made the semi-finals and are currently 1-2 against Team Barkow. In the other semi-final match up, Team Roble is 2-1 over Team Tulloch.

Team Maclaren (Photo: copyright John Payne 2011)

The conditions today were HOT!  The temperature was up and so was the humidity as rain showers grazed by the course. The wind was lighter than we have seen, at around 4-8kts most of the day, but mostly steady. The race committee got the racing underway right at 10am this morning and didn't really break until we had knocked out three semi-final races, save for one 20 minute period when the rain could took all the wind away and made it swing through about 80 degrees.

We first finished up the round robin with three races. Our first race was against Team Hayes which we led from the start to finish. The next race was against Team Tulloch. After an even start, she had the initial advantage up the beat and rounded the top mark ahead. Downwind we were able to get just in front of her at the bottom mark and we rounded in the lead. We still held the lead at the top mark with her about one length behind us. We sailed for a while and then gybed. We were able to get our breeze out in front of her, but she did a good job of dragging the race high and keeping it going. As we entered the pin end of the finish line, she was just able to scoop inside of us and roll over us on the last roll to cross the line just ahead of us.

The next race was with Team Barkow. It was a similar story. We held the lead off the line and all around the course, but gybed just a little too late on the downwind leg and this time they were able to get over the top of us and we couldn't quite hold them off as we crossed the finish line. This gave us a 5-2 record in the second round and an 11-3 overall record tied with Sally but losing the tie breaker. Genny won the round and was able to choose her opponent between us, Sally and Stephanie Roble. Genny chose Stephanie, and we were paired with Sally.

We got straight into the semi's and finished the first three flights. It is a series of first-to-four points, so there was a lot of racing scheduled. The first and second races were very similar to each other. We had the lead up the first beat and a couple length lead at the top mark. Downwind she was able to close to a length behind us. Up top again, we still had a length lead but after a gybing dual, she was able to crush our breeze and squeeze out in front at the finish to take a 2-0 lead in the series. In the last race, the story was reversed. She held the lead and downwind we were able to catch up and just as we heading to finish line, she luffed us without rights and earned a penalty and we took that race to put a point on the board and keep the series to 2-1. (Photo: Team Maclaren vs Team Barkow copyright John Payne 2011)

Racing continues tomorrow morning. The racing is very tight, very intense and very good.

You can follow updates and see results on: Twitter (@USSTAG); or the regatta website (http://sailingteams.ussailing.org/Events/2011WMRTrials.htm); or at Match Racing Results Service: US Olympic Team Qualifying Regatta http://www.matchracingresults.com/2011/us-olympic-team-qualifying-regatta/

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.

Ed Note: Apologies to Kaity Storck - I sent out the email yesterday with her name spelled incorrectly.

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.