Founder Molly Wilmer called it a celebration of women’s sailing, and that is an apt description.
Ever since its founding in 2022, the J/105 Women’s Regatta has served as a platform for female sailors to showcase their skills, compete on even terms and introduce newcomers to big boat racing.
The third annual J/105 Women’s Regatta, held Sept. 3, drew 19 entries and 132 sailors for three highly competitive races that featured intense starts, tight mark roundings and close finishes.
Wilmer, who has chaired the event since its inception, said the rapid participation increase — from 13 boats in 2022 to 19 boats in 2024 — shows the organizing committee is doing things right.
“The fact this regatta has grown with local sailors and drawn out-of-town teams the last two years demonstrates there is a demand for highly competitive women’s big boat racing with excellent race management and an emphasis on camaraderie,” Wilmer said.
Eliot Caple skippered Patriot to the overall victory with a low score of five points, five better than runner-up Marie Crump and the 4-teenz team. Maddy Ploch called tactics for Caple, who closed the regatta with a bullet after posting a pair of second place results.
Caple, a former member of the College of Charleston sailing team, has been crewing for owner Ray Wulff aboard Patriot for the past three seasons. The former member of the US Sailing Team works for Annapolis-based David Walters Yachts.
“What a great day of sailing and it was incredible to see everyone out on the race course. I have so many people to thank, but most importantly thanks to Ray Wulff for giving us the keys to Patriot for the day,” Caple said. “I couldn’t have done it without my amazing crew, the loudest support boat and all of the other outstanding competitors.”
Jen Sturmer trimmed the jib, while Dawn Forsberg worked the pit aboard Patriot. Tracey Richter (mast), Gracie Crespin (bow) and Kristen Robinson (bow) completed the crew for Caple, who cited two key factors for the team’s success.
“We sail very, very flat upwind, then downwind I sail very low — max on the windward side. And I could drive lower than anyone,” she said.
Crump was winning skipper in the inaugural J/105 Women’s Regatta, then helped Ashley Love to victory last year as tactician. The former Marie Klok was once ranked second on the Women’s World Match Racing circuit and mounted an Olympic campaign in Yngling class.
Crump, who borrowed Peter Bowe’s Good Trade, had four junior sailors onboard, including teenage daughters Anna and Emilie. Sarah Alexander, Maxine Phillips, Martha Parker, Finley Olson and Emily Julian rounded out the crew.
“I have always respected this event for the tight racing and this was an amazing opportunity to include teenagers who otherwise don’t get on big boats for a great learning experience,” said Marie Crump, whose win in the second race broke a tiebreaker with Mayhem.
Love, the reigning champion, skippered Mayhem to third place on the strength of a 3-5-2 score line. Kirstyn Roberts (bow), Alli Gutenkunst (main trimmer), Lorie Stout (spinnaker trimmer) and Sammy Herin (mast) returned from last year’s winning team with Love adding Molly O’Hare and Mary Howser. Eleanor Cowles, a Optimist sailor who regularly crews on Mayhem, was the junior representative.
Love pointed out that members of her team race a variety of platforms with Stout and O’Hare coming from the Snipe class. She appreciated the support of owners Doug and Amy Stryker, who flew the Mayhem battle flag from their powerboat and blew horns at each mark rounding.
Love, who is a member of the organizing committee for the J/105 Women’s Regatta, said the event has succeeded in attracting new talent from other classes and thereby making the local Fleet 3 healthier.
This year’s J/105 Women’s Regatta also featured an entire team of sailors 50 years or older aboard Sanda Libby’s Go Nil (Doughouse) and female members of the Naval Academy Varsity Offshore Sailing Team on Avenger.
Sarah Schaill Colarusso (London Calling) brought a crew from Charleston Yacht Club, while Heather McCann (Santas Reign Dear) had a team from Toronto and Alexandra Clary (Rum Puppy) had sailors from Victoria, British Columbia.
Katy Zimmerman and her sailors aboard Firebrand were presented with the inaugural Maggie Flanigan Perpetual Trophy as “Best Dressed Crew.” This new trophy was dedicated to the spirit of Flanigan, a J/105 racer who died on Aug. 17.
Quantum professional Scott Nixon kicked off the weekend by conducting a practice session attended by 10 of the teams.
“Fun is contagious. When you encourage respectful, competitive, Corinthian sailing and pair that with great social events, sailors are going to rise to the occasion — on and off the water,” Wilmer said. “Despite crowded mark roundings, racing was clean on the water. On land, women were trading stories of what they did well, challenges they wanted to overcome and congratulating each other.”
J/105 Women’s Regatta (19 boats)
1, Patriot, Eliot Caple, 2-2-1=5; 2, 4-teenz (Good Trade), Marie Crump, 5-1-4=10; 3, Mayhem, Ashley Love, 3-5-2=10; 4, Mirage, Molly Wilmer, 1-6-5=12; 5, Smoke n’ Oakum, Beth Scheidt, 4-3-9=16
