¡Hola and Muchas Gracias Pollo and Members of Club de Vela La Peña!
The generosity and hospitality our team has already received from the members of Club de Vela La Peña (CVLP) has been tremendous. We are grateful for your kind assistance with all of our regatta travel logistics and arrangements for the upcoming International Women’s Keelboat Championship (IWKC). It has been an absolute delight to receive such warm and welcoming sentiments from your club’s members and staff leading up to the IWKC regatta.
We are honored to sail in such a historic and prestigious US Sailing event.
To me, sailboat racing is about the people and places as much as the actual competition, so when I learned the International Women’s Keelboat Championship was going to be held in Valle de Bravo, Mexico I knew I had to go. Over the years I have developed many friendships with several of the J/70 Mexico sailors and sailing teams such as Flojito, Vincitore, & Zaguero, and Mexican Laser sailors: Luis Barrios and Yanic Gentry, as well as, Valle photographer, Mauricio Arregui.
I have known CVLP member Luis Barrios for many years from sailing and traveling the Laser Master circuit with my husband. Sailors like Luis Barrios put the “gentleman” in our sport. The J/70 and Laser classes are lucky to have Señor Barrios as an active member of their fleets and I feel fortunate to consider him a friend and fellow sailor.
The generosity and hospitality our team has already received from the members of Club de Vela La Peña (CVLP) has been tremendous. We are grateful for your kind assistance with all of our regatta travel logistics and arrangements for the upcoming International Women’s Keelboat Championship (IWKC). It has been an absolute delight to receive such warm and welcoming sentiments from your club’s members and staff leading up to the IWKC regatta.
We are honored to sail in such a historic and prestigious US Sailing event.
To me, sailboat racing is about the people and places as much as the actual competition, so when I learned the International Women’s Keelboat Championship was going to be held in Valle de Bravo, Mexico I knew I had to go. Over the years I have developed many friendships with several of the J/70 Mexico sailors and sailing teams such as Flojito, Vincitore, & Zaguero, and Mexican Laser sailors: Luis Barrios and Yanic Gentry, as well as, Valle photographer, Mauricio Arregui.
I have known CVLP member Luis Barrios for many years from sailing and traveling the Laser Master circuit with my husband. Sailors like Luis Barrios put the “gentleman” in our sport. The J/70 and Laser classes are lucky to have Señor Barrios as an active member of their fleets and I feel fortunate to consider him a friend and fellow sailor.
Luis Barrios (right) and his son (left) raced their J/70 Zumbale at Long Beach Race Week in June 2017.
Over the years, in the course of developing these friendships, I have heard nothing but wonderful things about this gem of a place to sail in their country called Valle so I absolutely cannot wait to see it and sail it for myself.
Valle de Bravo, Mexico. Photo Credit: Mauricio Arregui Photography
”If it’s both terrifying and amazing you should definitely pursue it.”
That about sums up my campaign to organize a team of women I haven’t yet raced with, in a place I haven’t yet sailed, in a country where I don’t speak the language, but I knew this would be a once in a lifetime experience for us all and thanks to the members and staff at Club de Vela La Peña it will indeed be just that.
Teamwork makes the dream work so I am thankful to have three talented and experienced señoritas to sail the IWKC with: Vivien Allan is our main trimmer/tactician, Amy Clark is our jib/kite trimmer and Lindsay Benton is our bow gal. Don’t be fooled by the direct translation of our team moniker Despacito (Slowly) Señoritas; instead, like us, it is inspired by the very popular, super fun, sassy, sexy, Spanish/English song Despacito by artists Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee.
That about sums up my campaign to organize a team of women I haven’t yet raced with, in a place I haven’t yet sailed, in a country where I don’t speak the language, but I knew this would be a once in a lifetime experience for us all and thanks to the members and staff at Club de Vela La Peña it will indeed be just that.
Teamwork makes the dream work so I am thankful to have three talented and experienced señoritas to sail the IWKC with: Vivien Allan is our main trimmer/tactician, Amy Clark is our jib/kite trimmer and Lindsay Benton is our bow gal. Don’t be fooled by the direct translation of our team moniker Despacito (Slowly) Señoritas; instead, like us, it is inspired by the very popular, super fun, sassy, sexy, Spanish/English song Despacito by artists Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee.
Vivien Allan
I could not and would not have embarked on this adventure without Vivi. She has a fun, vivacious personality and it is in large part to her credit that I applied to sail the IWKC regatta in the first place. Vivi forwarded the announcement of the IWKC to me and said you should do this and the rest is history.
Vivi lives in Vermont where she sails her J/70 on Lake Champlain with her guy Jack. She has traveled to major regattas with their boat since buying it almost two years ago. Her role on the boat has most often been bow person. She claims to never have been a dinghy sailor (other than sailing a Laser as a youngster) but has many years of experience sailing J/ Boats. Prior to owning the J/70 she sailed and raced the J/24, J/92, J/105 and J/109. Growing up, her family owned a J/29 and then years later she and Jack bought a J/29 and had great fun racing and cruising that boat. On a recent vacation to Mexico, she and Jack chartered a J/80 from J World and jumped into one of their weekend races. Having gotten a taste of sailing in Mexico she can’t wait to return.
I could not and would not have embarked on this adventure without Vivi. She has a fun, vivacious personality and it is in large part to her credit that I applied to sail the IWKC regatta in the first place. Vivi forwarded the announcement of the IWKC to me and said you should do this and the rest is history.
Vivi lives in Vermont where she sails her J/70 on Lake Champlain with her guy Jack. She has traveled to major regattas with their boat since buying it almost two years ago. Her role on the boat has most often been bow person. She claims to never have been a dinghy sailor (other than sailing a Laser as a youngster) but has many years of experience sailing J/ Boats. Prior to owning the J/70 she sailed and raced the J/24, J/92, J/105 and J/109. Growing up, her family owned a J/29 and then years later she and Jack bought a J/29 and had great fun racing and cruising that boat. On a recent vacation to Mexico, she and Jack chartered a J/80 from J World and jumped into one of their weekend races. Having gotten a taste of sailing in Mexico she can’t wait to return.
When Vivi isn’t sailing, she likes to take her RIB (aka Bianca) out for a spin and some “donuts” on Lake Champlain in Vermont.
Sailing World Magazine captured Vivi and Jack sailing their J/70 Selkie at Key West Race Week 2016 and published this image as part of a centerfold in their March/April Edition 2016.
Amy Clark
Amy is a San Francisco expat in the middle of moving her place of residence from San Francisco to Washington State with her young son and husband. Although we haven’t met yet, she and I have several mutual sailing friends in the same San Francisco sailing circles and she came so highly recommended to me for this event I didn't think twice about asking her to sail on the team.
While Amy hasn't raced on a J/70 she has raced many other asymmetrical boats including: Melges 24, J/105, J/120, J/125. She has experience as a trimmer, pit, bow or mast. She has also been the trimmer or main on symmetrical keel boats including SC50, express 35 & 1d35. She has raced dinghies, including New England collegiate 420s and Vanguard 15s and also has experience with off-shore regattas such as the Spinnaker Cup and Pac Cup. She enjoys sailing and traveling to regattas and has traveled as far as Seattle, the Columbia River Gorge, San Diego, Hawaii, Fort Worth (for J/22 Women’s Match Racing), Key West, Block Island, and the USVI/BVI.
Amy is a San Francisco expat in the middle of moving her place of residence from San Francisco to Washington State with her young son and husband. Although we haven’t met yet, she and I have several mutual sailing friends in the same San Francisco sailing circles and she came so highly recommended to me for this event I didn't think twice about asking her to sail on the team.
While Amy hasn't raced on a J/70 she has raced many other asymmetrical boats including: Melges 24, J/105, J/120, J/125. She has experience as a trimmer, pit, bow or mast. She has also been the trimmer or main on symmetrical keel boats including SC50, express 35 & 1d35. She has raced dinghies, including New England collegiate 420s and Vanguard 15s and also has experience with off-shore regattas such as the Spinnaker Cup and Pac Cup. She enjoys sailing and traveling to regattas and has traveled as far as Seattle, the Columbia River Gorge, San Diego, Hawaii, Fort Worth (for J/22 Women’s Match Racing), Key West, Block Island, and the USVI/BVI.
Magical middle of the ocean musings. Amy Clark doing what she loves, enjoying the open ocean and beautiful natural surroundings while sailing.
Lindsay Benton
I first met Lindsay in the summer of 2016 in San Francisco when she and her Southern California J/70 team were training on the San Francisco Bay for the J/70 Worlds. They sailed several regattas on our waters that year to get to know the Bay, the breeze, the infamous tides, and the race course for the Worlds. Dousing and setting a kite in 20 plus knots in the San Francisco Bay is no joke, so I was immediately impressed with Lindsay's strength, dedication, attitude, and love of sailing.
I first met Lindsay in the summer of 2016 in San Francisco when she and her Southern California J/70 team were training on the San Francisco Bay for the J/70 Worlds. They sailed several regattas on our waters that year to get to know the Bay, the breeze, the infamous tides, and the race course for the Worlds. Dousing and setting a kite in 20 plus knots in the San Francisco Bay is no joke, so I was immediately impressed with Lindsay's strength, dedication, attitude, and love of sailing.
Lindsay sailing in the Pacific Coast Championships in San Francisco in 2016 with her Southern California J/70 Team Huckleberry. Photo Credit: Sergei Zavarin
Christy Usher
As the skipper of Team Despacito Señoritas, I am honored to sail with these lovely ladies.
I am predominately a single and double-handed dinghy sailor. I first learned to sail as a child, cruising the Chesapeake Bay with my father and attending sailing camps in Maryland and Mystic, CT. As a teenager, I sailed 470s and 505s recreationally and raced FJs at the collegiate level for the University of California Santa Cruz. My husband and I have bareboat chartered in the BVI, Caribbean and Greek Islands, as well as attended Laser Master World Championships around the world.
As the skipper of Team Despacito Señoritas, I am honored to sail with these lovely ladies.
I am predominately a single and double-handed dinghy sailor. I first learned to sail as a child, cruising the Chesapeake Bay with my father and attending sailing camps in Maryland and Mystic, CT. As a teenager, I sailed 470s and 505s recreationally and raced FJs at the collegiate level for the University of California Santa Cruz. My husband and I have bareboat chartered in the BVI, Caribbean and Greek Islands, as well as attended Laser Master World Championships around the world.
Sailing in the Mexican Laser Masters regatta in 2011 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with my husband, Tracy Usher (right). Me (left). Photo Credit: Jen Edney
As the Fleet Captain for the J/70 Class, San Francisco Bay fleet, I enjoy being involved in the organization and leadership of the J/70 Class. My husband and I got our J/70 toward the end of 2015 and there has been no turning back. It has been the perfect boat for us.
Trimming the main with my husband at the helm during the 2017 Pacific Coast Championships in San Francisco. Photo Credit: Chris Ray
Our first J/70 sailing season was an epic year since our Yacht Club, the St. Francis, hosted the J/70 Worlds 2016. We enjoyed so many fantastic training sessions and regattas leading up to the World Championship. It was a year full of fun, friendships, and fantastic sailing I will never forget.
Skippering our J/70 Christine Robin while my husband crews during “3 Bridge Fiasco Regatta” on San Francisco Bay 2016. Photo Credit: Erik Simonson
Regattas always deliver more than results -- they challenge us, they are an emotional and physical test -- but they delight us too as they are memories in the making with old friends and new friends. They are often places we've never been to with people we've never met before. But throughout the course of a regatta we all share a special bond, a common love of sailing and sailboat racing which is why, win or lose, we can't wait to come sail Valle!