The Santa Maria Cup, hosted by Eastport Yacht Club from the early 1990s through 2011 is set for a comeback.

The Santa Maria Cup was an annual women’s match race regatta that was eagerly anticipated on the match race circuit. Arguably the premiere women’s event in the US, it has drawn some of the top match and fleet racing skippers and teams over the years. Names like Dawn Riley (USA), Betsy Alison (USA), Marie Bjorling (SWE), Paula Lewin (BER), Claire Leroy (FRA) and Katie Spithill (AUS) adorn the Santa Maria Cup trophy.

With the invigoration of women’s match racing brought on by the Women’s World Match Racing Tour, Eastport Yacht Club has made the decision to bring back the Santa Maria Cup as a World Sailing Grade 2 event. The regatta will be hosted May 1-4, 2023 in J/22s, on the Severn River in Annapolis. Ten teams will be invited, housing and most meals will be provided for the competitors.

Eastport Yacht Club is coordinating with St. Francis Yacht Club (San Francisco, CA) to schedule two events in the USA so that teams from Europe and Asia can get more racing in for one set of international airline flights. The St. Francis Yacht Club event will be contested April 25-28, 2023 in J-22s as well.

The Santa Maria Cup Notice of Race is posted at SantaMariaCup.org and interested skippers/teams may electronically request an invitation.