The 52nd U.S. Match Racing Championship was won by Pearson Potts (Boston, Mass.), beating seven other teams in J/22s for the coveted Prince of Wales Bowl. Racing was held October 4-6 in San Francisco, CA. Hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club, Potts and his team of Lucas Adams, Robert Savoie and Tim Siemers returned to this year’s event after winning the Prince of Wales Bowl at the 2018 U.S. Match Racing Championship in Chicago on Lake Michigan last October. Only a team that is 100% U.S. citizens or resident aliens throughout the Championship Finals may be declared the U.S. National Champion. However, the Prince of Wales Bowl, a perpetual trophy, will be awarded to the winner of the Championship Finals, regardless of nationality. Potts also claimed the title of National Champion at the 2017 event in Oyster Bay, NY, though it was David Storrs and an international crew that won the Finals and was awarded the Prince of Wales Bowl. Invitations to race at this Championship were delivered to the 2018 champion, the top ranked U.S. female match racer, the winner of the 2019 U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship, and winners from U.S. Match Racing Championship Qualifier events at Oyester Bay, NY; San Francisco, CA; Detroit, MI; San Diego, CA, Rochester, NY; Chicago, IL; and Long Beach, CA. Racing Format (subject to change):
First Stage – Round Robin
Second Stage – Quarterfinals
Third Stage – Semifinals
Fourth Stage – Finals and Petite Finals
For complete event details, visit https://www.ussailing.org/competition/championships/2019-u-s-match-racing-championship/.