Jen French, Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, Wins Robie Pierce Women’s Invitational in LI Sound
The following is a press release from Annual Robie Pierce Women’s Invitational:
Jen French (St. Petersburg, FL), 2012 Paralympic Silver Medalist and the first disabled women to be selected as the Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year won the 3rd Annual Robie Pierce Women’s Invitational held off of Milton Harbor, NY.
In a SSW breeze of 3 –to-7 knots, Jen and her first-time crewmate Laura Schwanger, a breast cancer survivor, took first place with 4 bullets out of 6 races. Brenda Hopkin and Susan King were 2nd with 13 points. In this tight match, the third place winners were only 2 points behind the 2nd place winners. Tied for third place were Judy Kowalesky and Vivian Snyder, and Cindy Walker and Sarah Everhart-Skeels. Donna DeMarest with crewmate Maureen McKinnon came in 4th place.
Vivien Snyder, a first-time competitor said that she was so excited that she could have kept going all day long. “My cheeks were hurting from smiling.”
Jen French summed it up by saying that events like this regatta are key in helping to encourage more women with disabilities to get into sailing. “When the wind came up, we all sailed close together and had a lot of fun. At the end of the day, sailing is all about the fun factor.”
The full Robie Pierce Regatta begins on Friday, May 31 and runs to Sunday, June 2. Information is available on the web at www.robiepierceonedesignregatta.com.
No regatta can be successful without a large group of very special sponsors, including Heineken USA, who has been a major supporter since the beginning; Green Mountain Coffee; and Lucerne Capital Management. New additions are major sponsor Subaru Distributors Corp, Magnum, Gill USA, Thomas Bates. Accessories, NASDAQ OMX and the Sailing Foundation of NY. For further information, contact Regatta Co-Chair Siobhan Reilly, American Yacht Club, reillyhere@optonline.net .
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