Lysekil Women's Match - Day 4

by Joakim Hermansson 9 Aug 2013 22:11 BST 5-10 August

1 - 1 in both semi finals

Friday's races on the Swedish west coast waters of Lysekil offered excellent conditions for the sailors as well as for the large crowds on the cliffs, packed with prestart dramas, wild gybes, luffing duels and other breath-taking manoeuvres. British Lucy Macgregor is facing local hope Anna Kjellberg in their semi, with Danish Camilla Ulrikkeholm against Claire Leroy, France, in the other one. All of them scored 5 - 2 in the quarter final round-robin, and both semi finals are now tied 1 - 1, numbers that really demonstrates how extremely tight the match racing is at this level: "To be honest we didn't know the exact points in the quarters, we just took one match at a time. But I was pleased we didn't have to choose an opponent for the semis, since the competition is so consistent" Lucy Macgregor smiled.

Swede Anna Kjellberg had to use all her rules knowledge and manoeuvrability against Macgregor when starting the first semi final match a couple of boat lengths ahead. But already on the first beat the British skipper managed to get out on the starboard side of Kjellgren, slowly but steadily working her way through as the wind shifted to the right. "We played chicken against the rocks, and managed to get half a crucial boat length to windward of the Swedes" Macgregor explained. The first top mark rounding saw a lead change, and then Macgregor and her crew stretched the lead further as the race went on. In the second semi final race Kjellgren had learned her lesson: "The margins are very small, and you can't afford to give away one single centimetre. Our tactics and manoeuvres were significantly stronger in the second race" said Anna, who evened the standings to 1 - 1.

Current ISAF world ranking number one Camilla Ulrikkeholm and former ditto Claire Leroy, developed their semi final matches into spectacular shows of exciting duels and stunning fighting for millimetres, all the way round the course. Swedish umpire Johan Norén had a busy time, especially in a downwind luffing duel with flapping spinnakers and two shouting skippers pumped with adrenaline in the second match. After contact between the boats, that situation ended with a Danish penalty, and Leroy could break back to 1 - 1: "I tried all I could to keep clear of Claire, but obviously the umpires thought I could have done more" a disappointed Ulrikkeholm sighed. "I'm never satisfied with a loss, but Claire is a very competitive match racing skipper. Now we're looking forward to tomorrow's races" she continued. "We also have good faith for tomorrow. Of course we want to win, but we will see." the French skipper commented.

The semi finals of Lysekil Women's Match will be raced Saturday morning, followed by the grand finale in the afternoon.

Semi Final Standings:

Claire Leroy, FRA - Camilla Ulrikkeholm, DEN 1 - 1
Anna Kjellberg, SWE - Lucy Macgregor, GBR 1 - 1

Quarter Final Results:

1. Claire Leroy, FRA, 5 - 2
2. Anna Kjellberg, SWE, 5 - 2
3. Lucy Macgregor, GBR, 5 - 2
4. Camilla Ulrikkeholm, DEN, 5 - 2
5. Ekaterina Skudina, RUS, 3 - 4
6. Anne-Claire Le Berre, FRA, 3 - 4
7. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 1 - 6
8. Johanna Larsson, SWE, 1 - 6

2013 Women's International Match Racing Series Standings: (after four events)

1. Lucy Macgregor, GBR, 66pts
2. Anna Kjellberg, SWE, 61pts
3. Stephanie Roble, USA, 47pts
4. Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, DEN, 44pts
4. Camilla Ulrikkeholm, DEN, 44pts
6. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 26pts
7. Tamara Echegoyen, ESP, 25pts
7. Klaartje Zuiderbaan, NED, 25pts
7. Claudia Pierce, NZL, 25pts
10. Julie Bossard, FRA, 22pts
11. Katie Spithill, AUS, 19pts
12. Alexa Bezel, SUI, 17pts
13. Merel Witteveen, NED, 15pts
13. Ekaterina Skudina, RUS, 15pts
15. Nicole Breault, USA, 10pts
16. Susannah Pyatt, NZL, 9pts
17. Milly Bennett, AUS, 8pts
18. Anna Kjellgren, SWE, 7pts
19. Madeline Gill, USA, 6pts
20. Anne Marit Hansen, NOR, 4pts
20. Sung-Eun Choi, KOR, 4pts
20. Morgane Dréau, FRA, 4pts

The inaugural 2013 Women's International Match Racing Series is a professional sailing circuit, hosted by the Women's International Match Racing Association for the world's leading women match racing sailors. In match racing the crews meet one on one in exciting duels that can easily be followed and understood by the spectators.

An overall prize purse of 50 000 USD, as well as the Terry J Kohler perpetual trophy, will be distributed by the WIMR Series at the final event in Lysekil, Sweden, in addition to the prize money at each of the five events included in the WIMR Series:

• May 15-19 - Saint Quay Women's Match Racing - St Quay-Portrieux, France - Elliott 6m
• June 5-9 - Busan Cup International Women's Match Race - Busan, Korea - K 30
• June 20-23 - Danish Open Ladies Cup - Copenhagen, Denmark - J/80
• July 11-14 - New York Women's Invitational - Oakcliff, New York, USA - SM 40
• August 5-10 - Lysekil Women's Match - Lysekil, Sweden - DS 37

Lysekil Women's Match is with a 300 000 SEK (50 000 USD) prize purse the largest yearly event for women match racing sailors, concerning the mix of spectators, publicity and prize money. The world's leading women match racing sailors participate in the eighth issue of Lysekil Women's Match, August 5-10 2013, arranged by Sailnet Lysekil AB in cooperation with Lysekils SS Gullmar. Main sponsor for Lysekil Women's Match is Preem and Thun Tankers, with the municipality of Lysekil as host city.

More information on www.wimrs.com and www.lysekilwomensmatch.com