Calpe: Klaartje Zuiderbaan wins also this year

Source: José Manuel Martín Nieto RCN Calpe www.rcnc.es

The last day of regattas at the ISAF Grade 1 International Women Match Race Criterium in Calpe, Spain, ended up with a completely different winner that the forecasted the previous day.

Every thing seemed decided for the World number one Claire Leroy after winning the first match of the semi-finals but the defending champion Klaartje Zuiderbaan of Netherland was able to beat her in the next two matches and moved to the finals. Zuiderbaan was able to get the victory by no more than two meters in the last race of the three that decide the first finalist.

The same result took place in the other semi-final, when the winner of the first match, the Swedish Jenny Axhede, lost twice against Nina Braestrup of Denmark.

The third and fourth position was decided clearly by Leroy that was able to control from the beginning her two matches versus the Swedish team with great pre-starts.

Meanwhile Zuiderbaan lost the second match with Braestrup but was able to win the last two races. The Danish leaded the fourth match of the final but after trying to exonerate a pending penalty was beat by the Dutch right at the finish line.

Zuiderbaan wins again this International Women Match Race Criterium but this time with the new Tom 28 of the Real Club Náutico de Calpe, a boat that ideal for the weather conditions of the Calpe bay.

Final results
1º Klaartje Zuiderbaan HOLANDA
2º Nina Braestrup DINAMARCA
3º Claire Leroy FRANCIA
4º Jenny Axhede SUIZA
5º Christelle Philippe FRANCIA
6º Lotte Melgaared DINAMARCA
7º Silke Hahlbrock ALEMANIA
8º Camila Ulrikkeholm DINAMARCA
9º Sabrina Gurioli ITALIA
10º Sandy Hayes USA
11º Louise Bienvenu USA

Calpe: Leroy chose Zuiderban for the semis

After the three flights disputed today, the ISAF Grade 1 International Women Match Race Criterium in Calpe, Spain, has started with the first two matches of the semi- finals.

Against all predictions, Leroy chose to race Zuiderbaan in the semi-finals and beat the Dutch in the first match of the three that will decide one of the two finalists. In the other semi-final match, Axhede won Braestrup.

Read more in the section Match Race Events

Nations Cup: Mathieu Richard in to the final in Cork

Source: David CAMPBELL JAMES

France’s Mathieu RICHARD won himself a slot at the ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final, defeating Britain’s Mark CAMPBELL-JAMES at the ISAF Grade 2 Regional Final for Europe 3 at the Queen Mary Sailing Club, Staines, Great Britain this morning.

Read more in the section Match Race Events

ISA National Match Racing Championships 2006

As you may already know this years' ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final will take place in Ireland on September 5th to 9th. The organizing club will be the Cork Yacht Club. But before that happens let's focus a bit on the ISA Match Racing Championships that will be held in Kinsale, Ireland from 29th to 30th of April and rank as qualifiers for the Irish Teams willing to take part in the Grand Final...

Read more about the event in Kinsale in Match Race Events section

Sofia

Calpe Wommen ISAF Gr. 1 Latest News

The first flights of the ISAF Grade 1 International Women Match Race Criterium took place in great conditions in Calpe, Spain yesterday, with tight competition the order of the day.

At the end of day one, the defending champion Dutch team headed by Klaartje ZUIDERBAAN lead the field ahead of Denmark’s Nina BRAESTRUP (DEN).......

Read more about the event in Calpe in Match Race Events section

Photo (c) RCNC

MATCHRACE.CH is growing

Hi all
MATCHRACE.CH is growing in numbers of readers and countries. Today I'm very pleased to welcome on board Sofia Truchanowicz from Poland, she will support us in keeping you up to date about the match race world news. Sofia is sailing since the age of 7, today she works for the Polish Sailing Federation and acts as umpire in many events during the year.





Read more about Sofia Truchanowicz

Regards

Jürg

Marstrand not part in the World Match Racing Tour

Source: www.WorldMatchRacingTour.com

The World Match Racing Tour has made an adjustment to its 2005-'06 season schedule after organizers of the GKSS Match Cup (formerly Swedish Match Cup) were forced to cancel their event due to funding difficulties.

The 2005-'06 World Tour schedule is reduced to eight events from nine. The season will conclude as planned with the Toscana Elba Cup - Trofeo Locman on Elba Island, July 11-16. There are two events leading to the final, the ACI Cup (May 23-28) and Match Race Germany (June 1-5).

The loss of the GKSS Match Cup, hosted by the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club (GKSS), hurts more than just sailors. As the Swedish Match Cup, the event on the idyllic island of Marstrand, off Sweden's west coast, hosted the final event of the tour season for six years. With a large and enthusiastic crowd on hand annually, it was one of the sailors' favorites.

Splendid weather last year helped draw a police-estimated crowd of 35,000 to 40,000 on Day 4, setting a single day attendance record. Through the final three days local police estimated nearly 100,000 spectators turned out to watch the racing.

The loss of title sponsor Swedish Match AB, which was formerly the title sponsor of the World Tour, was too much for event organizers Peter Klock and Martin Sohtell to overcome.

Scott J. MacLeod, World Tour President, said, "We're very disappointed to see the GKSS Match Cup canceled, we were really hoping they could find a new title sponsor. It's an unfortunate circumstance, but it's hard for events to find funding. The event has a strong heritage and we expect it will be back next year, better than ever."

The season-ending Elba Cup has an early lineup that is as strong as recent years. Two-time World Tour champion Peter Gilmour of Australia and two-time event winner Russell Coutts of New Zealand head the lineup. A field of 12 entries is planned, but it might be increased to 16 entries. -- Sean McNeill

Calpe Wommen Criterium ISAF Gr. 1

Source: www.sailing.org

Racing at the ISAF Grade 1 International Women Match Race Criterium gets underway tomorrow, with World number one Claire LEROY (FRA) leading the field of top women match racers in Calpe, Spain.

Up against LEROY will be the Dutch team that beat her in the final last year lead by Klaartje ZUIDERBAAN. Also back this year is 2005 bronze medallist and number four in the ISAF World Match Race Rankings Nina BRAESTRUP (DEN).

Second place for LEROY last year, and crucially a semi-final victory over Marie BJÖRLING (SWE), lifted the Frenchwoman to the top of the World Rankings, a position she has held ever since. It was to be one of the high points of a great year for LEROY which culminated in a nomination for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award.

Completing The Line Up
Also lining up this week is 2004 winner and runner up, Jenny AXHEDE (SWE) and Lotte MELDGAARD PEDERSEN (DEN) respectively, along with bronze medallist from 2003, Sabrina GURIOLI (ITA). France’s Christelle PHILIPPE will also be battling for honours along with Denmark’s Camila ULRIKKEHOLM, Germany’s Silke HAHLBROCK and Sandy HAYES from the USA. A local entrant will also represent the home hopes.

The waters of Calpe will make for a stunning venue, as part of a Spanish Nature reserve with the famous Costa Brava landmark of el Peñon de Ifach, the largest single rock in the Mediterranean, forming an imposing backdrop to the action on the water.

With six of the competitors also set to line up next month at the Dexia Private Banking ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship in Copenhagen, Denmark, the action in Calpe could prove a useful form guide to the upcoming battle for the World title.

International Women Match Race Criterium Entrants
(- ISAF World Match Race Ranking)

Claire LEROY (FRA) - 1
Nina BRAESTRUP (DEN) - 4
Klaartje ZUIDERBAAN (NED) - 5
Jenny AXHEDE (SWE) - 6
Lotte MELDGAARD PEDERSEN (DEN) - 7
Christelle PHILIPPE (FRA) - 9
Silke HAHLBROCK (GER) - 15
Sandy HAYES (USA) - 20
Camila ULRIKKEHOLM (DEN) - 23
Louise BIENVENU (USA) - 61
Sabrina GURIOLI (ITA) - 84
One Spanish entrant

Results Nations Cup Auckland

Source: www.sailing.org

Simon DICKEY (NZL) upset the odds in Auckland, New Zealand today, defeating Seve JARVIN (AUS) in the ISAF Grade 2 Regional Final for Oceania to take his berth in the Grand Final of the ISAF Nations Cup. Meanwhile Jess SMYTH (NZL) completed a home clean sweep in the women’s competition.

Despite being almost 150 places below JARVIN in the ISAF World Match Race Rankings, DICKEY won through 3-0 in the final, winning the opening two flights by 26 and 14 seconds, before taking the decisive victory in the third match by a single second.

In the women’s final, World number 28 SMYTH was a class apart from Japan’s Ikuko SAKUDO, winning five straight matches to qualify for the ISAF Grade 1 Grand Final in Ireland this September.

Read more about the Oceania Nations Cup

ISAF Nations Cup 2006 in Auckland Oceania Qualifying Event

Source: Sailing.org

In an epic battle on the Auckland waters this morning, home star Simon DICKEY (NZL) beat Seve JARVIN (AUS) by seven seconds to tie the scores in round robin one of the ISAF Nations Cup Regional Final for Oceania.

It was another fantastic day at the ISAF Grade 2 match racing event on the Auckland Harbour and Principal Race Officer Harold BENNETT and his experienced Race Management team successfully completed the double round robin series. The breeze was very favourable and the only change was to move the top marks slightly to the left and to change from port to starboard rounding with the change of the tide.....

Round Robin Standings
1. Seve JARVIN (AUS), 12-2
2. Simon DICKEY (NZL), 11-3
3. Jess SMYTH (NZL), 10-4
4. Takumi NAKAMURA (JPN), 8-6
5. Phillipe MAZARD (FRA), 7-7
6. Jan SIJP (COK), 4-10
7. Teva PILCHART (TAH), 4-10
8. Ikuko SAKUDO (JPN), 0-14

Read more about the Nations Cup in Auckland

Blurimini: Slovenian ISAF Nations Cup Team Jure Orel Qualified for the Blurimini

Matteo Simoncelli takes the 1st place at the 06 Blurimini Selection event. As he is already representing the Team Shosholoza (RSA) in the Blurimini Match Race end of May the second placed Slovenian Skipper Jure Orel enters in the Gr. 2 Blurimini match race.

Blurimini Qualification Match Race Results
1: Matteo Simoncelli 12 ITA
2: Jure Orel 95 SLO
3: Tino Ellegast 32 GER
4: Simone Ferrarese 85 ITA
5: Fabio Mazzoni 131 ITA
6: Lorenza Mariani 193 ITA
7: Sascha De Micheli 360 SUI
8: Sohrab Fratz 120 GER
9: Orkun SOYER 257 TUR
10: Rasmus Viltof 52 DEN

Ferrarese & Simoncelli in the semis Photo (c) MATCHRACE.CH

Read more about the Blurimini and see more pictures in the section Match Race Events

Brady takes the Con Cup home

Source: Long Beach Yacht Club

LONG BEACH, Calif.---Gavin Brady, a native of New Zealand but a resident of Annapolis, Md. for 14 of his 32 years, felt right at home in Long Beach Saturday when he won his third Crimson Blazer in the Long Beach Yacht Club's 42nd Congressional Cup presented by Acura.

"This yacht club gave me a break when I was young, so this is a really special event for me," he said.

 

It was just a while in coming. Brady's first two wins were in 1996 and '97, and since then he had been in the semifinals six times and the finals four times before this victory that put him one behind Rod Davis and Peter Holmberg, who have won four Congressional Cups each.

Once Brady got on a roll this week he was next to invincible. He won 16 of his last 17 races, including the last 13 in a row and all four Saturday when he swept local hope Scott Dickson in the semis and Great Britain's Ian Williams in the finals, 2-0 each.

"It was just a matter of getting into a rhythm," Brady said, but Williams said the difference between them was how deadly Brady was at the starting line.......

 

Read more about the congressional cup and see the video in the section Match Race Events

42nd Congressional Cup: Mathieau first loss against Wibrowe

Source: Long Beach Yacht Club

LONG BEACH, Calif.---Just when it appeared that the pecking order was falling into place, Denmark's young Peter Wibroe rose from the depths of the 42nd Congressional Cup presented by Acura Wednesday and turned the event on its head.

Wibroe, at 20 the youngest skipper in the field, was tied for last with 2 wins and 8 losses and was 0-5 on the day when he stunned France's previously unbeaten Mathieu Richard by 16 seconds in the day's sixth and final round.

"It was my only win today, but it was the best one to win," he said. "We're happy with that."

Read more about the congressional cup and see the video in the section Match Race Events

42nd Congressional Cup: Mathieau Richard leading the way by winning all his matches

Source: Long Beach Yacht Club

Wth France's Mathieu Richard leading the way by winning all five of his matches, the five European competitors in the 42nd Congressional Cup presented by Acura won 18 of their 25 races Tuesday to claim the top three positions on opening day.

Close behind Richard, who is eighth in the current International Sailing Federation (ISAF) rankings, stand Great Britain's Ian Williams (No. 7) and Finland's Staffan Lindberg (13) at 4-1.

Conversely, the three New Zealanders---four if you count local Scott Dickson who has lived in Long Beach for a decade---were 7-13, an atypical mark for a small country that turns out champion match racers like sheepskin slippers.

Read more about the congressional cup and see the video in the section Match Race Events

Nations Cup: India Qualified for Final in Cork Beating Turkey

Source: Dubai International Marine Club

Asian champions India booked their passage to the grand final of the ISAF Nations Cup today (Friday) by edging out Turkey to win the regional qualifying round in Dubai.

The two crews finished tied at 2-2 in the regional final after the wind died for a second day in succession at Dubai International Marine Club, forcing race officials to abandon the decisive leg in the best-of-five showdown.....

Read more in the section Match Race Events

Blurimini 06 Qalification Match Race

At Easter it will be sailed the qualification event for the 2006 Blurimini match race, Gr. 2, event wich attracts every year many of the top match racers of the world such as James Spithill, Karol Jablonski, the Williams brothers etc.
The boats that will be used in the event will be the Bluesail sport 24 boat designed on purpose for match race events.
The strong line up of the this year's qualification event fulfills the Gr .3 criteria.

Interesting participants in the qalification event are:

Matteo Simoncelli ITA top ranked skipper and Orkun Soyer TUR Orkun Soyer, a Turkish sailor living in Switzerland Zürich, second placed in Dubai at ISAF Nationas Cup. The Blurimini qualification event will represent an important challenge, giving him the chance to measure himself with good European match racers.

Qualification line up
Matteo Simoncelli 12 ITA
Tino Ellegast 32 GER
Rasmus Viltof 52 DEN
Fabio Mazzoni 131 ITA
Simone Ferrarese 85 ITA
Jure Orel 95 SLO
Sohrab Fratz 120 GER
Lorenza Mariani 193 ITA
Orkun SOYER 257 TUR
Sasha De Micheli 360 SUI


Line up for the Gr. 2 Blurimini match race
Eugeny Neugodnikov RUS 9
Matteo Simoncelli ITA 12 SOHOLOZA
Franceso Bruni ITA 62 LUNA ROSSA CHALLENGE
Tierry Pepponnet FRA 79 K - CHALLENGE
further skippers to be confirmed, interesting facts: the strong prence of America's cup teams.

Photo (c) Blurimini

See more pictures from the 2005 Blurimini event