Royal Thames makes event debut, while veteran Chesapeake team could be the favorite
With BNY Wealth signing on as presenting sponsor and a deep field of sailing talent across all the rosters, the table is set for the 4th edition of the Corinthian Yacht Club’s National Women’s Invitational Team Race, the only women’s 3v3 team racing event in keelboats with spinnakers. Six teams from across the US and beyond will vie for the Thayer Trophy off the coast of historic Marblehead, MA this weekend in what has quickly become a preeminent team racing event.
Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association, Eastern Yacht Club, New York Yacht Club, and Newport Harbor Yacht Club are all returning to compete along with host Corinthian Yacht Club’s team. Royal Thames Yacht Club is making its event debut.
“The Thayer Trophy [is] next-level sailing, sportsmanship, and sisterhood,” said Newport Harbor Yacht Club sailor Erin Batchelor whose team is back after finishing third last year. Newport Harbor is a team-racing powerhouse with a Thayer Trophy roster that includes Sally Mace and Colin Voigt who helped secure the club’s 2023 Global Team Racing Championship win last fall.
It could shape up to be another battle with Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association who edged Newport Harbor out in the Thayer Trophy finals last year to take second on a tiebreaker. Most of the Chesapeake sailors are veterans of the event, including skippers Ashley Love, Sara Morgan Watters and Janel Zarkowski. Having just finished second at the New York Yacht Club Women’s 2v2 a few weeks ago, Chesapeake may be eager to shed runner-up status.
“It is incredible see how the level of competition has gotten stronger every year because clubs are prioritizing this event and really developing their women’s teams,” said Thayer Trophy Event Chair Miranda Bakos. “That said, the vibe of this regatta is definitely a focus on fun, and this year, thanks to support from BNY Mellon Wealth, we are amping it up.”
The Thayer Trophy two-day event schedule is a traditional round-robin format with the potential for sailing 50 races. The finals will be streamed live on Corinthian Yacht Club’s YouTube Channel starting at Sunday, June 23 at 10 AM.
Racing is held in club-provided Sonars, 23-foot, one-design keelboats typically sailed with four or five crew.
Details about the Corinthian Yacht Club National Women’s Invitational Team Race for the Thayer Trophy including results can be found on the event site.
CORINTHIAN YACHT CLUB WOMEN’S INVITATIONAL TEAM RACE FOR THE THAYER TROPHY 2024 TEAM ROSTERS
CHESAPEAKE BAY YRA
Jenn Calhoun
Gwynie Dunlevy
Alli Gutenkunst
Ashley Love
Jane Millman
Sara Morgan Watters
Martha Parker
Saidee Price
Katja Sertl
Sunny Sturmer
Sophie Taczak
Janel Zarkowsky
CORINTHIAN YACHT CLUB
Miranda Bakos
Megan Bamford
Emily Dellenbaugh
Sarah deSilva
Karen Fallon
Karen Finocchio
Emily Gonzales
Lisa Keith
Ery Largay
Jane Loutrel
Peg MacMaster
Elise Mazareas Nash
Christina Pandapas
Colleen Guertin Parenteau
Kelsey Shakin
Juliana Testa
EASTERN YACHT CLUB
Rachel Foster
Julia Fuller
Ashley Hoguet
Alix Israel
Lane Kaeyer
Jen Lambertz
Laura Lee
Hannah Lynn
Kelly Marie
Lilly McGrath
Debbie Noble
Hannah Polster
Katie Roger
Megan Strehlow
Kim Sturges
NEW YORK YACHT CLUB
Taylor Kirkpatrick
Caroline Levesque
Sara Mac Swanson
Emily Maxwell
Blair McCarthy
Maddy McGrath
Abigayle Konys Moreno
Lindsay Powers
Julia Reynolds
Ann Sheridan
Allie Tillinghast
NEWPORT HARBOR YC
Erin Batchelor
Haley Dahl
Skylar Jacobsen
Jenn Lancaster
Sally Mace
Mandy McDonnell
Katie McDowell
Amy Sabourin
Carolyn Smith
Payton Thompson
Victoria Thompson
Colin Voigt
ROYAL THAMES YC
Catherine Brooke
Ella Brown
Sammie Evans
Alice Kidd
Jemima Lawson
Philippa Lawson
Alice Lucy
Gabi Mascio
Bethan Matthew
Macey McCann
Zoe Nieveen
Emily Wiltshire