DON WILSON WINS 2010 CMRC SPRING INVITATIONAL
5/16/2010

 Chicago, IL – Chicago-based Don Wilson has won the 2010 Chicago Match Race Center (CMRC) Spring Invitational, successfully defending his title earned at this same regatta last year and earning valuable ISAF Grade 3 points for the World Match Race ranking list. Wilson sailed with team members Bill Hardesty on Main, 
 Matt Cassidy on Jib, and Hans Pusch on the Bow, with the event sailed in equally-matched TOM 28 class boats.

 “Our team did a great job this week,” said Wilson, “and I think all the training in these boats has given us a slight advantage and comfort level in knowing what to expect."
 After breezing through the single-match Quarter-Final against Mark Johnson and winning his Semi-Final 3-1 against Chris Nesbitt, Wilson faced his sister Jennifer in what commentator Geordie Shaver called the “Wilson Family Finals.” Jennifer had defeated Chris Wurtz in their Quarter-Final match, then blanked Round Robin winner Guy Mossman 3-0 in their Semi-Final, so she and her team had some momentum built up coming into the Finals.

 Unfortunately, this momentum ground to a halt in the first match of the Final, when after a tight match with brother Don she rounded the incorrect mark after a course change was signaled by PRO Bill Canfield to re-align the course in a building but shifty northeast breeze. As this breeze and its accompanying chop built up further, Jen and her team successfully fought back to take the lead after a botched spinnaker drop on Don’s boat.

 But in the third and deciding match, brother Don’s team prevailed to win again, taking the title and the right to represent Lake Michigan in the 2010 YRUGL Richardson Trophy Regatta, the 
 Match Racing Championship for the Great Lakes, to be held over October 8-10. And as the next highest Lake Michigan-based finisher in the Spring Invitational, Jennifer also earns an invitation to the Richardson as well, prompting many to speculate on whether there might be yet another “Wilson Family Final” later this year.

 After having a great Round Robin score yesterday but running into trouble today, 4th place overall finisher Mossman commented that he “got caught off-guard in the tactical maneuvers, but really want to be invited back” to future CMRC events. And even though local-based CMRC members Wurtz and Steven Lowery also did not fare particularly well in this event – 7th and 5th respectively – they did feel the mid-week training was paying off in making them more skilled and confident in their maneuvers.

 “Its great having the opportunity to train against the likes of Bill and Don, so we look forward to continue to move up the ranks in these events,” said Wurtz.

 And while based in New Jersey and not a local, 8th placed Daniele Soriano was also keen to climb the rankings in her next event. “We had some really great, close matches, so I can’t wait to come back and continue to improve,” she said.

 Final Results, 2010 CMRC Spring Invitational:

 1 – Don Wilson

 2 – Jennifer Wilson

 3 – Chris Nesbitt

 4 – Guy Mossman

 5 – Steven Lowery

 6 – Mark Johnson

 7 - Chris Wurtz

 8 – Daniele Soriano

 9 - Robert Sansome

 For more information about the CMRC Spring Invitational, stop by CMRC or contact CMRC Director of Marketing and Programming Beth Paul on 312-542-1505 or visit www.chicagomatchrace.com.
 
 About CMRC:
 
 The Chicago Match Race Center was founded to promote and grow the sport of match race sailing. Besides being used in the America's Cup, match race sailing has recently also been adapted as a Women's d