Six teams set to compete in Thayer Trophy Women's Team Race

Thayer Trophy Women's Invitational Team Race © Corinthian Yacht Club

With BNY Wealth signing on as presenting sponsor and a deep field of sailing talent across all the rosters, the table is set for the 4th edition of the Corinthian Yacht Club's National Women's Invitational Team Race, the only women's 3v3 team racing event in keelboats with spinnakers. Six teams from across the US and beyond will vie for the Thayer Trophy off the coast of historic Marblehead, MA this weekend in what has quickly become a preeminent team racing event.

Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association, Eastern Yacht Club, New York Yacht Club, and Newport Harbor Yacht Club are all returning to compete along with host Corinthian Yacht Club's team. Royal Thames Yacht Club is making its event debut.

"The Thayer Trophy [is] next-level sailing, sportsmanship, and sisterhood," said Newport Harbor Yacht Club sailor Erin Batchelor whose team is back after finishing third last year. Newport Harbor is a team-racing powerhouse with a Thayer Trophy roster that includes Sally Mace and Colin Voigt who helped secure the club's 2023 Global Team Racing Championship win last fall.

It could shape up to be another battle with Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association who edged Newport Harbor out in the Thayer Trophy finals last year to take second on a tiebreaker. Most of the Chesapeake sailors are veterans of the event, including skippers Ashley Love, Sara Morgan Watters and Janel Zarkowski. Having just finished second at the New York Yacht Club Women's 2v2 a few weeks ago, Chesapeake may be eager to shed runner-up status.

"It is incredible see how the level of competition has gotten stronger every year because clubs are prioritizing this event and really developing their women's teams," said Thayer Trophy Event Chair Miranda Bakos. "That said, the vibe of this regatta is definitely a focus on fun, and this year, thanks to support from BNY Mellon Wealth, we are amping it up."

The Thayer Trophy two-day event schedule is a traditional round-robin format with the potential for sailing 50 races. The finals will be streamed live on Corinthian Yacht Club’s YouTube Channel starting at Sunday, June 23 at 10 AM.

Racing is held in club-provided Sonars, 23-foot, one-design keelboats typically sailed with four or five crew.

Details about the Corinthian Yacht Club National Women's Invitational Team Race for the Thayer Trophy including results can be found on the event site.