Governor’s Cup no longer just for the boys

June Casagrande

If the guys in the Governor’s Cup Regatta choose to believe it’s

humiliating to lose to a bunch of girls, then some of them had better

prepare to be humiliated.

There’s no shame in losing to the St. Petersburg Sailing Center

team -- the first all-female team to ever participate in the

36-year-old Governor’s Cup Race, and a trio of impressive sailors by

any standards.

“Guys are already teasing each other by saying, ‘You lost to the

team that lost to the girls,’” said Evan Brown, 16, helmswoman for

the St. Petersburg team.

But instead of getting hot under the collar, these sailors are

reveling in the ribbing, confident that no name-calling can take away

their world-class racing status. Put Brown on board with 15-year-old

Alyson Dagly and 15-year-old Kristin Britt, and you’ve got the 40th

best women’s team in the world, No. 10 in the United States. They’re

fresh from an impressive showing at the Sears Semifinals in

Charlotte, N.C., where they tied for first place and lost only in the

final judging, as well as some other inspiring performances.

Just to taunt the guys who taunt them, the St. Petersburg team

sails with a stuffed giraffe mascot, Beavis, whom they adorn with

flowers and kiss for luck, “Just to make it really girly,” Brown

said.

But they’re smart enough to not underestimate their competition.

“We’re used to sailing against older people, and we’re learning

that the younger guys are really aggressive,” Britt said

“We might not have the strength advantage, but women tend to be

more coordinated,” Dagly said, “and that can be really important.”

No matter how they fare in the race, the St. Pete team will be

winners. Not only are they the first all-female Governor’s Cup team,

but they’re also tied for the youngest, they’re the only team that

currently is without a coach, and, as if that weren’t enough, they’re

the only ones who aren’t members of a yacht club.

“We didn’t set out to be an all-female team,” Britt said.

“Yeah,” Dagly chimed in. “We’re just doing what we love.”