CMRC's Canfield to Compete at Monsoon Cup

Brings US match racing talent to the World Championship Final after 8-year hiatus

Kaula Terengganu, Malaysia - Starting Monday, December 3rd here at the Ri-Yaz Heritage Marina Resort on Malaysia's east coast, US Virgin Islander Taylor Canfield and his US One Sailing Team will be joining eleven other teams from five countries to compete in the Monsoon Cup, the final event of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour (AWMRT). Canfield is Sailing Director of the Chicago Match Racing Center (CMRC) and is joined by team members Dan Morris, Hayden Goodrick, Mike Rehe, and Rod Dawson.

While there have been numerous US-based crew on teams competing in the AWMRT, Canfield will be the first US-based skipper racing at the World Championship of match race sailing since Ed Baird raced in 2004 on his way towards winning the America's Cup in 2007. Canfield earned his Wild Card invitation to the Monsoon Cup based on his victory at the last AWMRT event, the Argo Group Gold Cup in Bermuda last month, as well as his fourth-place finish at the only US stop on the AWMRT, CMRC's Chicago Match Cup in July.

But even if Canfield wins the Monsoon Cup next week, he will not be able to win the World Championship, since this is determined by the summary of scores from all AWMRT events held this year. The current Tour leader is Sweden's Bjorn Hansen on 104.25 points, followed closely by reigning champion and Chicago Match Cup winner Ian Williams on 102 points. Canfield has 41 points, placing him at 9th on the AWMRT Leaderboard, the highest ranking of any team not holding a Tour Card.

Regardless, Canfield remains the highest-ranked match race skipper in North America, and is currently at 9th in the ISAF World Rankings, his highest level ever.

"We're very excited to have reached the Monsoon Cup, it's a real milestone for us after three years of effort," said Canfield. "CMRC has been an essential element of our success, and we're extremely grateful to have had this opportunity to reach this level by racing and training right here in the US."

After having just arrived at the venue, Team USone will spend two days of training on their own to learn the venue and the Foundation 36 boats used at the Monsoon Cup. They will then spend one day of training against other teams before racing starts on Monday, where their first rivals among the 12 teams in the competition include Pierre Anton Morvan from France, David Gilmour from Australia, and the winner of the local Malaysian qualifying event.

"We feel confident at this stage," said Canfield, "because we've developed an idea of how each of these teams sail. We raced against Gilmour at the CMRC Grade 2 Grand Slam event this year, and raced against Morvan at the Chicago Match Cup in July and also last year at the Grade 1 at Navy Pier. We've beaten them in most matches, so we just need to continue to build on that success."

For more information about the US One Sailing Team, visit www.usonesailing.com, and to follow all the action at Monsoon Cup, visit www.wmrt.com/tour-events.html.

And for more information about the Chicago Match Race Center, visit www.chicagomatchrace.com.

US One 2012 Highlight Reel from USone Sailing Team on Vimeo.

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