The four teams advanced to the semi-finals of the WMRT Santa Maria Cup following the completion of the double round robin qualifying stage in Annapolis.
Defending Santa Maria Cup champion Allie Blecher (USA), Sweden’s Anna Östling and Martina Carlsson, and Julia Aartsen from the Netherlands emerged from the ten-team fleet to secure places in Saturday’s knockout rounds.
With the racecourse positioned off the historic United States Naval Academy, the world-class fleet delivered another day of close racing.
Among the standout performances was Olympic Gold Medallist Lily Xu Lijia of China, competing in her first Women’s World Match Racing Tour event.
Lily claimed an impressive victory over former Santa Maria Cup winner and Olympian Anna Östling, both teams showing their prowess.
With places in the Santa Maria Cup Final now on the line, the semi-finals will continue as a first-to-three-point series before the winners advance to contest the Santa Maria Cup title and valuable championship points on the Women’s World Match Racing Tour.
