Annapolis, MD (March 26, 2004)- Ed Baird’s Team MUSTO decisively won the inaugural Annapolis Cup Match Race, defeating Terry Hutchinson’s Team Annapolis Volvo on the final day of racing on the Chesapeake Bay. With the historic city of Annapolis, Maryland and the United States Naval Academy serving as a backdrop to the battle, Team MUSTO came away the victor after winning five of the six hard-fought races contested today.

Both teams of world class professional sailors came together for three days of match racing practice in preparation for the April 2004 Congressional Cup, the California stop on the Swedish Match Tour. Previously in the Annapolis Cup, Wednesday’s practice day led to Thursday’s four races which saw both teams in a 2-2 tie.

On Friday, the final day of racing, Baird, sailing with the majority of his Team MUSTO 2003 ISAF World Match Racing Championship crew, set the tone for the day by sweeping the first three races, held in a shifting, moderate 5-10 kts of breeze. In the fourth race of the day with the wind increasing to 10
- 13 kts, Hutchinson and his Annapolis-based Team Annapolis Volvo which included tactician Chris Larson, won the start and nailed the shifts on the first beat upwind. They developed a lead so big, the race was conceded by Baird before the finish and both boats decided to return to the starting area to go at it again and practice yet another dial-up, the key component in the start sequence of any match race.

A further unusual aspect of the event’s remarkable format featured a move, during the fifth race, whereby Team Annapolis Volvo got an unfortunate twist in their chute and bagged the race, returning to the Race Committee boat and asked the Race Committee Chairman, John Potter, for another race to be started immediately. Team MUSTO agreed to the change and an unexpected sixth race was conducted. For the first time in the series, both boats were over early at the start and after restarting cleanly, Baird and his Team MUSTO, assisted by favorable rulings from the on-water umpires Dobbs Davis and Mike Jones, showed their transom to Team Annapolis Volvo yet again at the finish line. The final tally for the series was seven wins for Baird and three for Hutchinson.

The Annapolis Cup Match Race Awards Ceremony was held at the Boatyard Bar & Grill in Eastport, Annapolis. The Boatyard was filled to capacity with sailors and supporters, eager to rub shoulders with the cream of the world’s match racing champions. Annapolis Mayor Ellen Moyer expressed her enthusiasm for the Annapolis Cup Match Race and admiration for the depth of the talent on the two boats. “Annapolis, the Sailing Capital of America, is honored to serve as the site for your racing practice,” she said. “Our community wishes all of you the best of luck in next month’s Congressional Cup and hopes you will return to Annapolis to race again soon.”

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