French Skipper Le Berre Undefeated In Lysekil Women’s Match Racing

Lysekil, Sweden (August 6 2013) – She hasn’t raced at all since the Match Racing World Championships in Sweden last year, but the absence has obviously not affected her skills. After the first day of round-robin in Lysekil Women’s Match, French skipper Anne-Claire Le Berre has won as many matches as sailed, four, and is on top of the score board. “It’s our third time in Lysekil Women’s Match and we really like the waters and the racing in the big DS 37s,” Le Berre said. “We feel no pressure at all, but lots of fun.” she commented.

Like most of the other sailors Le Berre thought that Tuesday’s conditions in Lysekil – shifty winds around and well over 20 knots, were demanding and exhausting for the muscles as well as for the brain.

“We had a hard time with the manoeuvres today, but my crew did an excellent job,” praised Russian Ekaterina Skudina who also complimented her crew on working very well together with four nationalities (three Russians, one Slovenian, one Danish and one Swede) onboard.

“Our communication was a key today, even as I had to translate some of the English to my Russian crew members,” says Skudina, who in her latest regatta, the Match Racing World Championships in Korea in June, just missed the podium. “We improved a lot during the day, and I think we were sailing especially fast downwind”.

Local sailors Anna Kjellberg, Caroline Sylvan and Johanna Larsson are sharing fifth place after having each won two and lost two matches. Larsson was the talk of the day, after beating former team helmsman Kjellberg, as well as the Women’s International Match Racing Series leader, Lucy Macgregor of Great Britain, “It was a good start to beat Lucy, we had a good flow in the beginning of the day,” Larsson smiled.

Lucy Macgregor only lost the match against Johanna Larsson and is now just trailing leading Le Berre with a 4 – 1 record after day one of the regatta, “It was a tough day, but very enjoyable in the breeze. I’m really tired, but my crew is probably even more exhausted,” MacGregor said, hopeful for the rest of the week. “You win some and you lose some, and it’s still early days.”

Lysekil Women’s Match continues Wednesday and Thursday with the double round-robin, going into the quarterfinals Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. Semi finals will be sailed Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, and by Saturday afternoon time has come for the great finale. Not only the winner of Lysekil Women’s Match will be crowned, but also the first champion of the inaugural Women’s International Match Racing Series. $100,000 total prize purse will be distributed.

Standings in Lysekil Women’s Match 2013 after one day of round-robin. Skipper, nationality, won/lost matches: 1. Anne-Claire Le Berre, FRA, 4 – 0; 2. Lucy Macgregor GBR, 4 – 1; 3. Camilla Ulrikkeholm, DEN, 2 – 1; 4. Ekaterina Skudina, RUS, 3 – 2; 5. Johanna Larsson, SWE, 2 – 2; 5. Anna Kjellberg, SWE, 2 – 2; 5. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 2 – 2; 8. Claire Leroy, FRA, 1 – 2; 8. Claudia Pierce, NZL, 1 – 2; 10. Alexa Bezel, SUI, 0 – 3; 11. Anna Kjellgren, SWE, 0 – 4

Standings in the 2013 Women’s International Match Racing Series after four events, in France, Korea, Denmark and USA (skipper/nationality/WIMRS points). Macgregor, Kjellberg and Ulrikkeholm are fighting for the inaugural WIMR Series trophy, the Terry J Kohler Perpetual Trophy:
1. Lucy Macgregor, GBR, 66
2. Anna Kjellberg, SWE, 61
3. Stephanie Roble, USA, 47
4. Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, DEN, 44
4. Camilla Ulrikkeholm, DEN, 44
6. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 26
7. Tamara Echegoyen, ESP, 25
7. Klaartje Zuiderbaan, NED, 25
7. Claudia Pierce, NZL, 25
10. Julie Bossard, FRA, 22
11. Katie Spithill, AUS, 19
12. Alexa Bezel, SUI, 17
13. Merel Witteveen, NED, 15
13. Ekaterina Skudina, RUS, 15
15. Nicole Breault, USA, 10
16. Susannah Pyatt, NZL, 9
17. Milly Bennett, AUS, 8
18. Anna Kjellgren, SWE, 7
19. Madeline Gill, USA, 6
20. Anne Marit Hansen, NOR, 4
20. Sung-Eun Choi, KOR, 4
20. Morgane Dréau, FRA, 4

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. Event Website