Thursday 30 July 2009

Womens Match Racing Worlds Day Two: Getting Down to the Wire - Sweden and France on Top

Anna Kjellberg (SWE) wins all of her matches on day two to top the board


Linda Rahm (SWE), Team Stena Bulk vs Sally Barkow (USA) Team7sailing going downwind. Image copyright Dan Ljungsvik/LWM.

by Josefine Ås

The first Round Robin of the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship has soon come to an end. After nine respectively eight sailed matches Anna Kjellberg of Sweden and Claire Leroy of France are leading the competition with only one loss each. With that score the two leaders as well as Swedish Marie Björling are definitely set for the quarterfinals.


Anna Kjellberg (SWE), Team Carpe Diem Beds Sailing Team, leads upwind against Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen (DEN), Team Marinepool. Image copyright Dan Ljungsvik/LWM.


Anna Kjellberg (SWE), Team Carpe Diem Beds Sailing Team, against Katie Spithill (AUS), Team Wot Chicks. Image copyright Dan Ljungsvik/LWM.

The Swedish local 25 year old ISAF 10th-ranked Anna Kjellberg and France's Claire Leroy won all their matches today putting them on the top of the leaderboard. Three matches remain for the World Champion Leroy and two for Kjellberg in the first Round Robin, but regardless of the result they are sure to make it to the quarterfinals.


Claire Leroy (FRA), Mermaid Sailing Team. Image copyright Dan Ljungsvik/LWM.


Marie Björling (SWE), Team Björling, chasing Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen (DEN), Team Marinepool. Image copyright Dan Ljungsvik/LWM.

Marie Björling from Sweden lost one of four matches today and therefore stays closely behind on the leaderboard. Today was filled with both joy and disappointment for the many Swedish spectators and fans as reigning champion of Lysekil Linda Rahm, ranked four on the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Ranking, only won one of her matches today and will not make it to the quarterfinals.


Claire Leroy (FRA), Mermaid Sailing Team in a dramtic manouver with Camille Ulrikkeholm (DEN) at the finish line. Image copyright Dan Ljungsvik/LWM.

Five teams will fight for the last three places to the quarterfinals. With today’s scoreboard it looks bright for the two Danish teams Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen and Camille Ulrikkeholm. The Danes are used to the boat type DS37 and have both sailed convincingly these first two days. The Australian teams with skippers Katie Spithill and Nicole Sauter, as well as American Sally Barkow also have a chance to proceed to the quarterfinals.


Katie Spithill (AUS), Team Wot Chicks, in the lead against Nicole Souter (AUS), Team Wild Oats Chardonnay, at the top mark. Image copyright Dan Ljungsvik/LWM.


Katie Spithill (AUS), Team Wot Chicks, rounding the top mark. Image copyright Dan Ljungsvik/LWM.

Result day 2: ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship (with ISAF women's match racing world ranking number):
Nine or eight sailed matches of 11 to sail in the first Round Robin

Claire Leroy (1) FRA 7-1 one match less
Anna Kjellberg (10) SWE 8-1
Marie Björling (43) SWE 7-2
Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen (5) DEN 5-3 one match less
Camilla Ulrikkeholm (13) DEN 5-4
Katie Spithill (2) AUS 4-4 one match less
Sally Barkow (7) USA 4-5
Nicole Souter (8) AUS 4-5
Lucy Macgregor (3) GBR 3-5 one match less
Linda Rahm (4) SWE 2-6 one match less
Silke Hahlbrock (6) GER 2-6 one match less
Christelle Philippe (19) FRA 0-9


Camille Ulrikkeholm (DEN), Team Ulrikkeholm, ahead of Linda Rahm (SWE), Team Stena Bulk. Image copyright Dan Ljungsvik/LWM.

ISAF Womens World Match Racing Championships/Lysekil Womens Match

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