Sheboygan, WI -- New Zealand's Samantha Osborne bested Canada's Jen Provan in a thrilling five-race final that came down to the last leg of the series to win the inaugural Buddy Melges Challenge hosted by the US Sailing Center Sheboygan.
Provan finished the round robin with 8 points, tied with Peru's Tania Zimmerman, who was seeded first going into the semifinal knockout series because she had beaten Provan in the round robin. Zimmerman faced Osborne in the semifinal knockout series, with Osborne winning both races to advance to the final. Likewise, Provan, who faced the other New Zealand team, led by Stephanie Hazard, won both semifinal knockout races to head to the best-of-five final.
Racing was close in the final, with both Provan and Osborne being aggressive in the pre-starts. Osborne won the first race and in Race 2, Provan came back strong, but was assessed a penalty in the pre-start. However Osborne was over early at the start and Provan took advantage of the lead to immediately do her penalty turn, but hit the start mark in the process, clearing her initial penalty but copping another penalty for having contact with the mark. She wasn't able to get a big enough lead on Osborne to complete the second penalty turn and finish ahead, putting Osborne up 2-0. Provan beat Osborne in Race 3, and in Race 4 passed Osborne halfway down the final leg to tie the series and set up an exciting final race in which Osborne passed Provan on the final leg to win the regatta. In the petit-final series, Hazard won the first and third races to beat Zimmerman for third place in the regatta.
The consolation round saw two American teams battle it out for fifth place and honors as the best-finishing American entry in the regatta. California's Sandy Hayes faced off against Cleveland, Ohio's Maegan Ruhlman. Ruhlman was over early in the first race, forcing her to take the less favored side of the course. In Race 2, Ruhlman was again over early, but this time managed to consolidate with Hayes and gain a penalty on her at the leeward mark, to win the race and set up a tie-breaker race. Hayes came out on top again to secure fifth place.
Results:
1. Samantha Osborne, Jenna Hansen, Raynor Smeal (NZL)
2. Jen Provan, Martha Henderson, Katie Abbott (CAN)
3. Stephanie Hazard, Susannah Pyatt, Mirand Powrie (NZL)
4. Tania Zimmerman, Natalie Zimmerman, Cristina Arribes Harten (PER)
5. Sandy Hayes, Cindy Olsen, Sue Reilly (USA)
6. Maegan Ruhlman, Emily Pulos, Erin Schanen (USA)
7. Linur Kliger, Limor Leshem, Yael Peled (ISR)
8. Liz Hjorth, Marylyn Hoenemeyer, Karyn Jones (USA)
9. Kristen Lane, Jackie Schmitz, Carla Murphy (USA)
10. Anne Marie Shewfelt, Denise Cornell, Kim Orlebeke (CAN)
For more information, go to http://www.ussailingcentersheboygan.org.
