Rancho Santa Fe, CA (July 6, 2009) – If you thought that Sunday’s America’s Cup Final at the San Diego Polo Club was going to be close, you would have been half correct. Leading by one after three (6 -5), it appeared that Jay Thornton and Kelly Maloney’s Jay Bird/Ohana team might keep going in the second half and win the tournament, considering how strong Danny Juarez and Matias Obregon were in the second half just one Sunday ago.
What a difference a week can make – and a 10 minute break. Whatever it was that got Thornton and Maloney the half-time lead was no longer and the magic that Juarez and Obregon had previously spun was gone as Krista Bonaguidi and Joy Bancroft’s Hanalei Bay/Star Meadow outscored them 7 – 1 over the final three and went on to win by a score of 12 – 8. Mariano Fassetta and Graham Bray were relentless in the victory with Fassetta scoring four times in the second half.
For the winners, Fassetta had a total of six goals, Bonaguidi scored three times, Bray twice, and Joy Bancroft once.
Scoring for the runners-up saw Thornton, Obregon, and Juarez contribute three, two, and one respectively. An ultimate handicap award of two (Dirk Wray substituting for an injured Bancroft) completed the count.
The America’s Cup – San Diego Polo Club
Hanalei Bay/Star Meadow (9) – Krista Bonaguidi -1, Joy Bancroft -1, Graham Bray 5, Mariano Fassetta 6, Dirk Wray (sub. for Bancroft).
Jay Bird/Ohana (8) – Jay Thornton, Kelly Maloney, Danny Juarez 4, Matias Obregon 4.
Tony Gregg