Poland Sopot Match Race Day 2

A great start today, sun is out strong breeze, the boats leave the jetty and the wind increase up to 18 – 20 knots.
The race committee decides to go back in and wait to avoid damages on the boats.
At 16.30h the wind is even stronger so the races will be postponed for the next day.

Photo (c) Juerg Kaufmann

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Poland Sopot Toyota Grade 1 Match Race Day 1

Photo (c) Jürg Kaufmann

First day of racing in Sopot Poland, 11 Flights with good wind and a bit of rain.
The Organizers plan to sail a double round robin, so still a long way to go.
The sailors are happy about the event, already today we had quite some spectators on the jetty, wondering how many will be there this weekend.
Today will start the open ceremony party at the Copacabana Beach Club.

Results from today are:

1: Neugodnikov RUS 8/9
2: Wibroe DEN 6/7
3: Andreesen GER 5/7
4: Kemmling GER 4/6
5: Jury NZL 3/5
6: Viltoft DEN 3/6
7: Stanzcyk POL 3/7
8: Tarnaky POL 1/6
9: Ferrarese ITA 0/6
10: Smolen POL 0/7


Photo (c) Jürg Kaufmann

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Qingdao international Regatta just finished

It's sad but true, we just finished racing in Qingdao. First Test Event to the Olympic Games in Qingdao behind us. Read more here

I would like to emphasize that Race Committee did a perfect job. As a Jury member I need to stress that what was presented by ITOs on this event deserves aplause as in this conditions what was created to competitors was at the very hih level.

Sopot Grade 1 Matchrace

Read the Notice of Race of the Event

Photo from Qindao

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Foggy Qingdao

It seems that we are having a mixture of all possible weather conditions during Qingdao International Regatta. Two days ago rain, yesterday dead waves and today a huge fog. Luckly we managed to bring the boats back to the harbour in time as just afterwards it was even hard to see the entrance from marina from ashore.
Read more about foggy day in Qingdao here.

Cheers,
Sofia

Fighting with dead waves

Not only lack of wind turned out to be a problem on yesterday's racing day at Qingdao International Regatta. We had to face dead waves which turned out to be rather painful for some of competitors.
Read more here

Qingdao in rain

Finally some rain in Qingdao. Still the temperature was around 27 degrees but at least we got wet. Today the tide was so strong that racing caused a lot of difficulties both for Race Committee and competitors.
Read more here
Sofia

Nations Cup in Rio

Here we have some news from South America, they are a few days old as the email got blocked somewhere in the internet.
Thank you Miguel for the picture and the news.

Photo (c) Miguel Allen

Hi all

Just arrived ashore on the final day of racing.

5 to 6 knots of wind, nice sun, well.. One more day of racing in Rio!

3 teams competing on this Qualifier. Brazil (Daniel Glomb), Argentina (Juan Grimaldi) and Uruguai (Pablo Defazio) and 1 Female crew from Brazil (Rossana
Ramos) that Qualified directly to the Nations Cup Final in Ireland as the only representative from South America.

Yesterday we made a double round robin to qualify 2 teams to the Final.

At the end of the day, Argentina and Brazil were tied on top with 3 points each with the advantage going to Argentina on the tie break. Uruguai got third.

Today we had the Final that would be won for the first to get 3 points.

First race, Brazil led all the course until the last downwind leg when Argentina managed to get some separation and speed and won. 1-0 Argentina.

Second race, good prestart for Argentina that lead all the course. 2-0 Argentina.

Third race, good start for Brazil. Lead during the first lap and a close call at the bottom mark. Argentina came out of the mark slightly faster then Brazil and managed to cover them and gain some distance enough to win the race. 3-0 Argentina.

At the end, Argentina qualified for the Nations Cup Final on Open and Brazil on Women.

Best regards,

Miguel

Tough days in Qingdao

It were two hard days in Qingdao...
But it seems that's what we can actually get in 2008

Read more on Sofias Blog

And here we go...

Races in Qingdao began but before that happened we witnessed the opening ceremony in Chinese style which took the breath away of the majority of the partcipants...
Read more here
Sofia

Paolo Cian is the King of the mountain

Photo (c) Jürg Kaufmann

see more pictures

He shall be called, “Alinghi slayer.”
Paolo Cian won his first World Match Racing Tour championship when he defeated Ed Baird in the final of the 4th annual St. Moritz Match Race. Cian won the series 2-1, which was halted when the 4:00 pm time limit passed.

Cian and his Team Viano Mercedes Benz crew Pierluigi Fornelli and Nello Pavoni finished with a 13-6 record and won SFr 32,000 (approximately $25,000) of the SFr 150,000 (approx. $121,000) prize purse.

He also won the new “King of the Mountain” trophy, a 45-pound piece of granite from Maloja Valley south of St. Moritz. A weighty trophy, Cian nearly toppled when he picked it up. They earned this championship, advancing out of the Repechage Round and then defeating the three Alinghi helmsmen – Peter Holmberg, 2-1, in the quarterfinals, Jochen Schuemann, 2-0, in the semifinals and Baird – in successive rounds.
“It was just our week,” said Cian, 39, from Naples, Italy.

“I’d like to congratulate Alinghi. They had three very strong teams here. My crew did an amazing job calling tactics on a weird lake. We struggled to understand what you could achieve at the beginning, but improved all week.”

For more details see the event section

MENDELBLATT, CIAN ON MATCH POINT IN SEMIS

Paolo Cian in action
Photo (c) Jürg Kaufmann

Alinghi helmsmen Baird, Schuemann facing 1-0 deficits in St. Moritz
Mark Mendelblatt and Paolo Cian have a mission: to eliminate Alinghi helmsmen at the 4th annual St. Moritz Match Race, Stage 3 of the 2006-’07 World Match Racing Tour.

They’re one win away from mission accomplished.
Mendelblatt leads current nemesis and former coach Ed Baird 1-0 in their semifinal match, and Cian leads former idol Jochen Schuemann by the same score in the other. The winner of each match will be the first to 2 points.
The two series are scheduled to resume tomorrow morning at 11:00 am and can be viewed online in a live Web cast at www.sporttv.ch.

Baird and Schuemann, two of the three helmsmen for America’s Cup defender Alinghi, were self-critical in their assessments.
“We didn’t sail our best race today,” said Baird, who’s attempting to repeat as event champion.
“We beat ourselves today,” said Schuemann, who’s attempting to win his first St. Mortiz Match Race.

 St. Moritz Match Race Semifinal Standings
Match A
(A3) Mark Mendelblatt (USA) Team Kaenon, 1
(A1) Ed Baird (USA) Alinghi, 0)

Match B
(R1) Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Viano Mercedes Benz, 1
(A2) Jochen Schuemann (GER) Alinghi, 0

Read more in the event section

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Practise race in Qingdao

Today practise race took place in Qingdao. Tommorow we start racing for good. Weather conditions are actually better than we yesterday expected...
Read more about Qingdao International Regatta here

Hi Everyone,

keeping in mind that it is most of all Match Racing portal, I thought that it might be still interesting for some of you to move into Olympic Games preparations that are taking place in Qingdao, China.
Tommorow we start Qingdao International Regatta, first Preolympic Test Event, and those willing to read more about the event itself and preperations just click every day on my blogger.

Sofia

News from Qindao Beijing

Sofia from MATRCHRACE.CH is in Quindao for the Preolympic test event and will write every day some news from there.

Time to the next Olympic Games in Beijing started counting for good. Over 400 competitors from whole world came to Qingdao, China to take part in the first Preolympic Test Event for Beijing 2008 Olympics.Tommorow at 13:00 we start the pracitse race. The whole Race Management and Jury team which I am a part of is here.First meetings are also finished, work is divided and everyone makes a final checkings. The weather is beautifully hot but unfortunately not too windy... Anr the forecast is also not promising until Thursday.The Olympic Sailing Center in Qingdao is really impressive. Although it is still under construction, especially in the part where there will be hotels for competitors, it is perfectly organized and very well planned. Not to mention Chinese kindness which is unbelievably huge!There will be 4 race areas: Alpha (RS:X, 49er), Bravo (Laser, Laser Radial), Charlie (470, Tornado) and Delta (Finn, Star, Yngling).Yesterday measurment and registartion started, today it's going to be completed and since tommorow off on the water we go.Be back to you with more racing news when the real fun starts for good :)
Sofia

THREE ADVANCE TO SEMIFINALS IN ST. MORITZ

Reigning champion Ed Baird, past champion Mark Mendelblatt and three-time Olympic gold medalist Jochen Schuemann advanced to the penultimate round in the battle for the title “King of the Mountain” after winning their matches.
Baird defeated Ian Ainslie 2-1, Mendelblatt downed Eric Monnin 2-0 and Schuemann, sailing with perhaps the oldest crew, ousted the hottest skipper in the event, Sébastian Col, 2-0.
One quarterfinal match remains to be completed tomorrow morning, between Peter Holmberg, winner of Group B round robin, and Paolo Cian, winner of the Repechage Round.
Tomorrow’s racing will be broadcast live on the Internet at Switzerland’s Sport TV Web site.
While Baird, Mendelblatt, Monnin, Schuemann, Col and Holmberg advanced to the quarterfinals from the preliminary round robins, Cian and Ainslie advanced after this morning’s Repechage Round. Cian won the five-flight round with a 4-1 record and Ainslie was second at 3-2.

ST. MORITZ MATCH RACE QUARTERFINAL RESULTS
Match A
(A1) Ed Baird (USA) Alinghi, 2
(R2) Ian Ainslie (RSA) Team Shosholoza, 1

Match B
(A3) Mark Mendelblatt (USA) Team Kaenon, 2
(B2) Eric Monnin (SUI) Team SailCom.ch, 0

Match C
(A2) Jochen Schuemann (GER) Alinghi, 2
(B3) Sébastian Col (FRA) Areva Challenge, 0

Match D (Scheduled Aug. 19)
(B1) Peter Holmberg (ISV) Alinghi
(R1) Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Viano Mercedes Benz

ST. MORITZ MATCH RACE REPECHAGE ROUND
(After 5 of 5 scheduled flights)
1. Paolo Cian, 4-1
2. Ian Ainslie, 3-2
3. Peter Gilmour (AUS) PST, 2-3
4. Ian Williams (GBR) Williams Sail Racing, 2-3
5. Philippe Presti (FRA) Luna Rossa Challenge, 2-3
6. Flavio Favini (ITA) Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia, 1-4

Photo (c) Match Race St. Moritz

Read more in the Event Section

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Alinghi dominate St. Moritz followed by Eric Monnin and Mendelblatt

Another day of varying conditions on Lake St. Moritz propelled six crews into the Quarterfinal Round of the 4th annual St. Moritz Match Race, Stage 3 of the 2006-’07 World Match Racing Tour.
Groups A and B today completed their preliminary round robins and two Alinghi helmsmen, Ed Baird (USA) and Peter Holmberg (ISV), were the respective winners. Baird won Group A with a 5-1 record and Holmberg took Group B at 6-0. Behind Baird in Group A was teammate Jochen Schuemann (GER), 4-2, and compatriot Mark Mendelblatt, also 4-2. In Group B Holmberg finished ahead of Eric Monnin (SUI), 5-1, and Sébastian Col (FRA), 3-3.

St. Moritz Match Race Group A Standings
(After 7 of 7 scheduled flights)
1. Ed Baird (USA) Alinghi, 5-1
2. Jochen Schuemann (GER) Alinghi, 4-2
3. Mark Mendelblatt (USA) Team Kaenon, 4-2
4. Ian Williams (GBR) Williams Sail Racing, 4-2
5. Philippe Presti (FRA) Luna Rossa Challenge, 2-4
6. Peter Gilmour (AUS) PST, 1-5
7. Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI) Team Psaro, 0-6

St. Moritz Match Race Group B Standings
(After 7 of 7 scheduled flights)
1. Peter Holmberg (ISV) Alinghi, 6-0
2. Eric Monnin (SUI) Team SailCom.ch, 5-1
3. Sebastian Col (FRA) Areva Challenge, 3-3
4. Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Viano Mercedes Benz, 3-3
5. Ian Ainslie (RSA) Team Shosholoza, 2-4
6. Flavio Favini (ITA) Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia, 1-5
7. Wearn Haw Tan (SIN) China Team, 0

Read more in the Event Section

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St. Moritz Match Race Infos

EVENT SUMMARY
The 4th annual St. Moritz Match Race features the battle for the title “King of the Mountain.” American Ed Baird, a helmsman for the Alinghi syndicate, is the reigning champion. Raced on Lake St. Moritz, the event is unique to the World Tour. Most of the boats used are 35- to 40-foot keelboats. St. Moritz features the Streamline 7.15 – a 24-foot, three-person, trapeze keelboat – which challenges skippers to stay on their feet. The lake is at an elevation of 5,624 feet (1,856 meters), making it possibly the highest-elevated match race regatta in the world.

ENTRY LIST
Ian Ainslie (RSA) Team Shosholoza — Afterguard member and coach for South African America’s Cup syndicate
Ed Baird (USA) Alinghi — Reigning event champion (left)
Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Vianno Mercedes Benz – Placed 4th at ACI Cup in March
Sébastien Col (FRA) Areva Challenge — Placed 7th at St. Moritz Match Race ’05
Flavio Favini (ITA) Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia Team — Helmsman for Italian America’s Cup syndicate
Peter Gilmour (AUS) PST — Reigning World champion, placed 6th at St. Moritz Match Race ’05
Peter Holmberg (ISV) Alinghi — Placed 8th at St. Moritz Match Race ’05
Mark Mendelblatt (USA) — Two-time event champion, finished runner-up in ’05
Eric Monnin (SUI) Team Monnin — Placed 9th at St. Moritz Match Race ’05
Phillippe Presti (FRA) Luna Rossa Challenge — Afterguard member of Italian America’s Cup syndicate
Arnaud Psarophagis (SUI) Team Psarophagis — Winner 2005 UBS Alinghi Swiss Tour, Swiss national match-racing championship
Jochen Schuemann (GER) Alinghi — Member of Alinghi afterguard
Wearn Haw Tan (SIN) China Team — Navigator for Chinese America’s Cup challenge
Ian Williams (GBR) Williams Sail Racing — Placed 4th at 2005 St. Moritz Match Race

2005 PRIZE PURSE DISTRIBUTION
The total prize money will be SFr. 150,000 (approx. $122,000), distributed as follows:
1st – SFr. 36’000 (approx. $29,494)
2nd – SFr. 22’500 (approx. $18,433)
3rd – SFr. 18’000 (approx. $14,747)
4th – SFr. 15’000 (approx. $12,288)
5th – SFr. 13’500 (approx. $11,059)
6th – SFr. 12’000 (approx. $9,830)
7th – SFr. 10’500 (approx. $8,602)
8th – SFr. 7’500 (approx. $6,144)
9th – SFr. 6’000 (approx. $4,915)
10th – SFr. 4’500 (approx. $3,686)
11th – SFr. 3’000 (approx. $2,457)
12th – SFr. 1’500 (approx. $1,228)
(1SFr. = 0.819110 USD on Feb. 8, 2005)

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NEUGODNIKOV wins YAVA Trophy

source by: Yana Dobzhitskaya

Russian Eugeniy Neugodnikov won ISAF Grade 1 Event YAVA Trophy 2006 which has finished on Sunday in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
In the Petit-final Andrew Arbuzov has won over Eugeniy Nikiforov 2:1.
Eugeniy Neugodnikov has lost the 1st race of the Grand-final, but than he won 3 times.

The final results are:
1 Russia Eugeniy NEUGODNIKOV
2 Australia Neville WITTEY
3 Russia Andrew ARBUZOV
4 Russia Eugeniy NIKIFOROV
5 France Pierre-Antoine MORVAN
6 Russia Sergey MUSIKHIN
7 Japan Takumi NAKAMURA
8 Finland Alpo KAAKINEN
9 Great Britain Andrew CORNAH
10 India Mahesh RAMCHANDRAN

Also the Sponsor fleet-race was held today.
The results are:
1 √ Neville Wittey (AUS)
2 √ Pierre-Antoine Morvan (FRA)
3 √ Eugeniy Neugodnikov (RUS)

Match Racing in Brazil? Sounds tempting...

Hi Everyone,

the sailing season this year is pretty rich in match racing events. I also hope you find our website as a good source of information. Still event results are not the only thing we wish to publish on our web. As some of you may remember I wanted to give you some more idea on how match racing was being created and developped around the globe.
This time we move to warm and sunny Brazil... As it turned out it is not only the perfect sport for kitesurfers but also for match race competitors :)
Our Brazilian friend, Nelson Ilha reports: "We are doing a lot of little events here in Brazil. One of the last events was a very interesting experience. We did an event with only two boats, two experienced umpires in one day with 14 skippers. It was a great sucess, like a tênis.
From 6th to 10th December we will have an ISAF grade 1 event in Rio de Janeiro."

Read more about the experience Match Race in Brazil at Match Race Events section

CU soon in some other country
Sofia

Sebastian Col wins Danish Open 2006

source by: www.sailing.org

Sébastien COL (FRA) overcame local hero Jesper BANK (DEN) in the final of the tenth annual ISAF Grade 1 Danish Open in Skovshoved, to win his first career World Tour event with a 3-1 defeat of the former champion.

"We improved all week" said COL. "The start is the key. If you get a good start it gives you the possibility to play the first shift. If you win the first cross, the race is a lot different. Today Teva and [Jean-Francois] predicted the shifts well. We were able to extend."

Danish Open Results
Final
Sébastien COL (FRA) d. Jesper BANK (DEN), 3-1

Petit-Final
Jes GRAM-HANSEN (DEN) d. Staffan LINDBERG (FIN), 2-0

Semi-Finals
Jesper BANK (DEN) d. Staffan LINDBERG (FIN), 2-1
Sébastien COL (FRA) d. Jes GRAM-HANSEN (DEN), 2-1

Fifth/Sixth Place Match
Ian WILLIAMS (GBR) d. Björn HANSEN (SWE), 2-1

Seventh/Eighth Place Match
Sten MOHR (DEN) d. Peter WIBROE (DEN), 1-0

Jesper Bank reaches the final

source by: Flemming Vitus/Gordon Smith

After a deadly duel with the Finn Staffan Lindberg, Jesper Bank secured himself a place in the final of the Danish Open 2006. He will meet, later today, the Frenchman Sebastian Col. The final and petit final will be sailed during the next hour.
Jesper Bank is in the final finalen in Danish Open.
Jes Gram Hansen missede the chance to sail the final against Jesper Bank.

Read more at Match Race Events section

Jesper Bank leads at Danish Open 2006

source by: www.sailing.org

Local hero Jesper BANK (DEN) began his defense of the ISAF Grade 1 Danish Open, stage two of the 2006-2007 World Match Racing Tour, with a perfect 4-0 record.
The opening day of the tenth annual Danish Open saw a wide range of conditions. Winds in the morning were from the south/southwest between twelve and 14 knots, with gusts slightly higher. The six crews in the morning racing promptly ran off five flights (15 races) within three hours.

Danish Open Results
Round Robin(After 9 of 22 scheduled flights)

1. Jesper BANK (DEN), United Internet Team Germany, 4-0
2. Sébastien COL (FRA), Areva Challenge, 4-1
3. Ian WILLIAMS (GBR), Williams Sail Racing, 3-1
4. Björn HANSEN (SWE), Team Apport.net, 3-2
4. Staffan LINDBERG (FIN), Alandia Sailing Team, 3-2
4. Sten MOHR (DEN), BMW ORACLE Racing, 3-2
7. Simon MINOPRIO (NZL), Vision Yachting, 2-2
8. Jes GRAM-HANSEN (DEN), Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia, 1-2
8. Dorte O. JENSEN (DEN), Team Sjælsø Gruppen, 1-2
10. Mads EBLER (DEN), 1-4
11. Peter WIBROE (DEN), Team Wibroe, 1-4
12. Mathieu RICHARD (FRA), Saba Sailing Team, 0-4

Come and meet two Danish America’s Cup Skippers and a Danish World Champion

source by: Flemming Vitus/Gordon Smith

For the second time this year the Royal Danish Yacht Club’s Royal Matchrace Center is the host of a major international regatta. From this Thursday until Sunday’s highly rated international fleet will be taking part in the Danish Open 2006, being sailed on the waters off Skovshoved Harbour (north of Copenhagen, Denmark).

For a great start to the event we would like to extend an invitation to the press conference on Thursday the 10th August at 10:00 am in the large VIP tent at Skovshoved Harbour. Here there will be the opportunity of meeting the America’s Cup’s Jesper Bank and Jes Gram-Hansen as well as Dorte O. Jensen. Additionally there will be opportunity to follow the day’s first rounds of matches at close hand from the event’s VIP spectator boat.

Read more at Match Race Events section

Russian Match Race Championship completed

source by: Yana Dobzhitskaya

Yesterday, Russian Match Race Championship has been completed on the waters of Ekateringburg. The weather that was accompying the Champioship was light wind and sunny.
In the semi-finals Maxim Taranov has beaten Eugeniy Nikiforov (2:1) and Andrew Arbuzov lost with Neville Wittey (1:2).
In the Finals Neville Wittey won with Maxim Taranov (2:0. Eugeniy Nikiforov and Andrew Arbuzov sailed only 2 races (1:1), other races were not sailed because of shortage of time.

The Final results are:
1. Australia Neville WITTEY
2. Russia Maxim TARANOV
3. Russia Eugeniy NIKIFOROV
4. Russia Andrew ARBUZOV
5. Russia Sergey MUSIKHIN
6. India Mahesh RAMCHANDRAN
7. Russia Vadim KORUKOV
8. Finland Alpo KAAKINEN
9. Russia Aleksei STUPKA
10. Russia Vadim MEKHANIKOV
11. Russia Vjacheslav FROLOV
12. Russia Oleg OVSIANNIKOV

Danish Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen wins Lysekil Women’s Match

source by: Josefine As

After five days of racing with 12 of the world’s best female match racers, Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, Team HSH Nordbank, took a sensational victory today after beating French Claire Leroy, Team Ideactor, in a very tight final. Meldgaard Pedersen won the Stena Bulk Trophy and the biggest prize money in women’s match racing: 10 900 Euro or 7 300 GBP. Swedish Linda Rahm took third.

Result Finals
Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen DEN/Team HSH Nordbank - Claire Leroy FRA/Team Ideactor 3–2

Result Petit Final
Linda Rahm SWE/Team Daros – Malin Millbourn SWE/Team Santa Maria 2 - 1

Final Result Lysekil Women’s Match
1. Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen DEN/Team HSH 10900 Euro/7300 GBP
2. Claire Leroy FRA/Team Ideactor - Nordbank 6750 Euro/4550 GBP
3. Linda Rahm SWE/Team Daros - 5540 Euro/3740 GBP
4. Malin Millbourn SWE/Team Santa Maria - 4565 Euro/3080 GBP
5. Marie Björling SWE/Team Schenker - 4020 Euro/2710 GBP
6. Camilla Ulrikkeholm DEN/Team CU - 3480 Euro/2345 GBP
7. Klaartje Zuiderbaan - 3040 Euro/2050 GBP
8. Giulia Conti - 2170 Euro/1470 GBP
9. Jessica Smyth - 1740 Euro/1170 GBP
10. Josie Gibson - 1300 Euro/880 GBP
11. Ulrike Firk -
12. Martina Karlemo -

Read more at Match Race Events section

Claire Leroy leads Lysekil Women's Match into the quarter finals

source by: Josefine As

World leader Claire Leroy took ten impressive victories out of 11 and is therefore the winner of the first Round Robin of Lysekil Women's Match. Besides Leroy, the Scandinavians are at the top of the leaderboard of Lysekil Women's Match. Three Swedish and the two Danish teams have cleared a place in the quarter finals.

Results after first Round Robin - six teams continue racing:
1. Claire Leroy FRA/Team Ideactor 10 wins - 1 loss
2. Linda Rahm SWE/Team Daros 9 - 2
3. Marie Björling SWE/Team Schenker 9 - 2
4. Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen DEN/Team HSH Nordband 7 - 4
5. Malin Millbourn SWE/Team Santa Maria 7 - 4
6. Camilla Ulrikkeholm DEN/Team CU 6 - 5
7. Klaartje Zuiderbaan NED 5 - 6
8. Giulia Conti ITA 4 - 7
9. Josie Gibson GBR 3 - 8
10. Jessica Smyth NYZ 2 - 9
11. Ulrike Firk GER 2 - 9
12. Martina Karlemo FI 2 - 9

Read more at Match Race Events section

Marie Björling undefeated at Lysekil Women's Match

source by: Josefine As

The reigning champion, Marie Björling Team Schenker, is undefeated after six sailed matches the second day of Lysekil Women’s Match. A long day for the sailors with strong, shifty and gusty winds was demanding for both boats and crews.

Results after the second day of racing:
1. Marie Björling SWE/Team Schenker 6 wins – 0 loss
2. Claire Leroy FRA/Team Ideactor 5 wins - 0 loss
3. Linda Rahm SWE/Team Daros 4 wins – 1 loss
4. Malin Millbourn SWE/Team Santa Maria 4 wins – 2 losses
5. Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen DEN/Team HSH Nordband 3 wins - 2 losses
6. Klaartje Zuiderbaan NED 3 - 3
7. Josie Gibson GBR 2 – 5
=. Giulia Conti ITA 2 – 5
9. Jessica Smyth NYZ 1 – 3
= Martina Karlemo FI 1 – 3
= Camilla Ulrikkeholm DEN/Team CU 1 – 3
12. Ulrike Firk GER 1 - 5

Read more at Match Race Events section

America’s Cup backers seek wider following

Photo © Thierry Martinez/Alinghi

Sourced from msnbc.msn.com

VALENCIA, Spain - For 150 years America’s Cup has existed on the fringe of athletics. A sport for the rich. But, corporations have come to the game, dumping in hundreds of millions of sponsorship dollars, and they want their investment to pay off.
Tell a cup athlete that his beloved sport is often perceived as an elitist activity for billionaires and you’ll likely get this:
“You know I take issue with that from a sporting standpoint. Everybody can get a used sailboat and out to the beach and enjoy themselves,” said Alinghi helmsman, Ed Baird.
Thus, the marketing dilemma for this sport. How to take sailing from the fringe to the mainstream.
“That is an interesting question because there’s quite a lot of debate in the sailing world as to what is the right level,” said Seahorse magazine editor, Andrew Hurst.. And what I would say is this corporate arena, with all the money that comes in. To me, this is not really living on the back of mainstream marketingIn other words, billionaire sailors love to entertain at their Spanish regattas, but there isn’t an international broadcast deal and even the most rabid sports fans would have great difficulty distinguishing between a keep and a spinnaker, a grinder and a downwind trimmer.

Read more in the Event Section

Claire Leroy leads after first day of Lysekil Women’s Match

source by: Josefine As

In exciting wind and weather conditions, thousands of visitors showed up on the docks and surroundings to watch 12 of the world’s best women teams in match racing duelling right by the docks of Lysekil on the west coast of Sweden. After the first day world leader Claire Leroy, Team Ideactor, France, is leading the round robin with five wins out of five sailed matches.

Results after the first day of racing:
Group One – 5 matches sailed
1. Claire Leroy FRA/Team Ideactor - 5 wins - 0 losses
2. Linda Rahm SWE/Team Daros - 4 wins - 1 loss
3. Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen DEN/Team HSH Nordband - 3 wins – 2 losses
4. Josie Gibson GBR - 2 wins – 3 losses
5. Giulia Conti ITA - 1 win – 4 losses
6. Ulrike Firk GER - 0 wins – 5 losses

Group Two – 1 match sailed (2 matches postponed)
1. Marie Björling SWE/Team Schenker - 1 win 0 loss
=. Klaartje Zuiderbaan NED - 1 win 0 loss
=. Malin Millbourn SWE/Team Santa Maria - 1 win 0 loss
4. Jessica Smyth NYZ - 0 win 1 loss
=. Camilla Ulrikkeholm DEN/Team CU - 0 win 1 loss
=. Martina Karlemo FI - 0 win 1 loss

Read more about the event at Match Race Events section

Another replacement at Danish Open

source by: Flemming Vitus/Gordon Smith

Before even having started the racing in this year's Danish Open we have already had a few changes to the line up for the 2006 event. First the Danish qualifier Jesper Feldt was replaced by the team's second skipper - women's match racing world champion Dorte O. Jensen - due to other obligations, then Ian Ainslie from Team Shosoloza had to withdraw because the America's Cup team had made changes to their campaign – Bjorn Hansen from Sweden ranked eight in the world will replace Ian - and now we have unfortunately received the news from Peter Gilmour that he too has to withdraw due to personal reasons.

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