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All-Female Crew Defends the Veeder Cup

In a best-of-five sailboat match-racing regatta held in southern Monterey Bay on Sunday, September 5, Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club successfully defeated Santa Cruz YC by sweeping three straight races. MPYC defended their win of the Veeder Cup, last contested in 2018 and won by Bustin Loose.

Santana 22s sailing in Monterey
MPYC on the run from SCYC in Monterey.
© 2021 Jeff Canepa

The Veeder Cup was first held in 1964 as a match race among the four Monterey Bay yacht clubs, which include Stillwater YC of Pebble Beach, Elkhorn YC of Moss Landing, SCYC and MPYC. Both Stillwater and Elkhorn were eliminated in a double-elimination sail-off the previous day, when the SCYC boat dominated every race and finished undefeated, with skipper Evan Diola and his crew of brother Pat Diola and Ryan Schuyler.

MPYC elected to compete with an all-women crew this year. They went head to head against Santa Cruz’s all-male crew. MPYC’s skipper was Kate Conway; her crew were Shandy Carroll and junior sailor Lilly Robnet. The MPYC team won the best three of five races with three straight wins. They led at the finish of Race 1 by 1 minute, 30 seconds; 28 seconds in Race 2; and 7 seconds in Race 3.

Three women on a Santana 22
The MPYC crew.
© 2021 Jeff Canepa

The races were sailed in a fresh westerly, with winds starting at 8-10 mph building to 15 mph as the afternoon westerly filled in. SCYC won two of the three starts and led at the first weather mark, but MPYC came back to win each race with great downwind tactics and boat speed. The Santana 22s used were identical, creating excellent and close racing.

Three women with the Veeder Cup
Veeder Cup winners, left to right: Shandy Carroll, Kate Conway and Lilly Robnet.
© 2021 Jeff Canepa

This was the first time an all-women crew has won the Veeder Cup. Because of the women’s accomplishments and their 2021 win, MPYC retains the trophy for another year. Congratulations MPYC — the community should be proud of you!

4 Comments

  1. Michael Coleman 3 years ago

    Congratulations!

  2. Jeff Canepa 3 years ago

    Photo credits go to MPYC members Micheal Polkabla and race course facts go to members Jerry Stratton and Richard Beach ~ __/) ~

  3. Memo Gidley 3 years ago

    Nice job ladies!!! One of my favorite ladies ever, Judy Sheindlin (Judge), refers to her self in an interview as a judge that just happens to be a women…not a women judge! As I tell my daughters, go after with no excuses!

  4. Ginger Foster 3 years ago

    Congratulations women. So proud of you! Way to show ‘em.?

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