Deb Capozzi Leads Team to U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship Title

Newport Beach, CA (November 12) - By the time the teams for the finals of the U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship were lined up on Saturday, spectators were in for a treat and the finalists didn't disappoint. The finals put the team led by Deb Capozzi up against another very strong team led by Katie Pilley-Lovell.

Capozzi won the first race, but Lovell dug back in the second race to tie the series. Race 3 saw a great battle between the two, with Capozzi barely taking the win. After changing boats, the two teams went back at it. After a very exciting pre-start, Capozzi was able to control off the line, then used great boat speed to stay out in front, even with Lovell and her team finding some great pressure and advantageous lifts. Capozzi cruised across the line to take the fourth match and win the title. Capozzi, who was on the winning boat last year and this year sailed with Kelly Hand, Chantal Ledger, and Lindsay Bartel, took home US SAILING's Allegra Knapp Mertz Trophy as the 2006 U.S. Women's Match Racing Champions. For the second year in a row, Pilley-Lovell won the Mrs. Charles Adams Trophy.