History repeated

News of US Sailing's men's and women's Championship

History has repeated itself today, the final day of US Sailing's U.S. Men's and Women's Sailing Championship, with the same champions taking home trophies as in 2003, the last time the two events were held concurrently. Zack Fanberg who sailed with his wife Sara and with Marcus Eagan enters the history books of the U.S. Men's Sailing Championship for being only the second skipper in the event's 53-year history to win the event three consecutive years. In the U.S. Women's Championship, Joni Palmer won the Championship for a second time, still sailing with the same crew that helped her win in 2003: Meredith Dodd and Carrie Carpenter. Sailed in Flying Scots, the two Championships were hosted concurrently by American Yacht Club in Rye, N.Y. The Championships are sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A.

The competition was very tight throughout the 11 races at U.S. Men's Championship and it all came down to the last race. Fanberg was tied in points with Ken Wolfe and the two teams had to battle it out for the Championship title in the final race. The teams were within feet of each other throughout the last race and came very close to hitting each other at the last jibe-mark. In the end, Fanberg came in first and Wolfe, with crew Jake Scott and Jameson Rabbitt, a very close second. The final results indicate just how close that was: Wolfe finished just one point behind Fanberg.

For Fanberg, his impressive win was somewhat bittersweet: Fanberg and his wife Sara (who crewed for him at the event), lost their home in New Orleans when hurricane Katrina swept through the Gulf Coast region. It wasn't easy for them to decide whether they'd compete in the Championship, considering everything they and their families are going through. "It took us a while to decide whether we would go and once we made the decision, we felt guilty, but it was a nice little break." In the end, it may have been the right decision: they get to take home US Sailing's Mallory Cup for a third consecutive year, something that only the well-known Buddy Melges has done before when he won the Championship from 1959 to 1961.

Joni Palmer made her mark at the U.S. Women's Championship, winning US Sailing's Adams Trophy for a second time, having last won it in 2003. In 2004, Palmer came very close to winning the Championship, finishing second. This time around, Palmer had it all under control, winning four of the Championship's ten races, and, with 22 points total, finishing nine points ahead of Theresa Brooks and her crew of Caroline Grove and Jessica Koenig.