Roble, Sylvan undefeated at Lysekil Women’s Match

Lysekil, Sweden (August 5, 2015) – American Stephanie Roble is on fire at Lysekil Women’s Match, the 2nd stage of the 2015 WIM Series. An intense Wednesday with eight matches and as many victories, puts her at the very top of the leader board. “Including the practice day this was just our second day of real sailing this week. My team made everything really smooth, and that was the key today,” Roble says.

Local hope Caroline Sylvan shares the lead. After another two victories Wednesday, the Swede stays undefeated with five wins. “Everything we do is done in exactly the right way. We’re trying to be one step ahead, covering our opponent also when our lead is substantial,” she explains.

Wednesday offered the race committee and the sailors steady winds that lasted for the whole day, which made it possible to catch up in the program after a Tuesday afternoon with no wind on the Swedish West Coast waters. Stephanie Roble was among the sailors sailing the most matches, but that obviously didn’t concern her at all.

World #1 and reigning Lysekil Champion, Camilla Ulrikkeholm Klinkby of Denmark, was one of the opponents that had to give up against the US force. “We weren’t aggressive enough and gave Stephanie too much room in the prestart. That doesn’t work against a skipper as skilled and ready to use even small mistakes,” the Dane notes. Ulrikkeholm Klinkby is third so far in the regatta, after this only loss and seven wins besides.

World #2 Anna Östling of the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club won both her Wednesday races, now holding fourth place in the round-robin on four wins and just a single loss. After their Tuesday loss against fellow club member Caroline Sylvan, the Östling team analyzed their performance and decided to have another attitude Wednesday.

“It was our fault we lost yesterday. Today we performed flawlessly and with great confidence, with our usual high technical standard,” Östling comments, valuing tight racing also in the beginning of the round-robin, “We will gain from that later this week,” she hopes.

Lysekil Women’s Match continues Thursday with the round-robin, before Friday’s quarter finals and Saturday’s semi finals and final.

Day Two Standings
1. Stephanie Roble, USA, 8 – 0
1. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 5 – 0
3. Camilla Ulrikkeholm Klinkby, DEN, 7 – 1
4. Anna Östling, SWE, 4 – 1
5. Klaartje Zuiderbaan, NED, 5 – 3
6. Anne-Claire Le Berre, FRA, 2,5 – 2
7. Pauline Courtois, FRA, 2 – 3
7. Alexa Bezel, SUI, 2 – 3
9. Annabel Vose, GBR, 2 – 6
10. Johanna Bergqvist, SWE, 1 – 7
11. Juliana Senfft, BRA, 0 – 5
11. Sanna Häger, SWE, 0 – 8

WIM Series – Event website – Worlds standings

Report by Joakim Hermansson

Standings in the 2015 WIM Series after one stage out of four (skipper name, country, WIM Series points):
1. Lotte Meldgaard, DEN, 25
2. Camilla Ulrikkeholm Klinkby, DEN, 22
3. Stephanie Roble, USA, 20
4. Anne-Claire Le Berre, FRA, 16
5. Anna Östling, SWE, 15
6. Katie Spithill, AUS, 14
7. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 13
8. Klaartje Zuiderbaan, NED, 12
9. Milly Bennett, AUS, 10
10. Pauline Courtois, FRA, 8
11. Louise Christensen, DEN, 6
12. Diana Kissane, IRL, 4
13. Rikst Dijkstra, NED, –
14. Johanna Larsson, SWE, –
15. Nina Ramm-Schmidt, FIN, –
16. Sanna Häger, SWE, –

2015 WIM Series events (date, event name, venue):
* July 8 – 12, ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship, Middelfart, Denmark.
* August 3 – 8, Lysekil Women’s Match, Lysekil, Sweden.
* September 16 – 20, Buddy Melges Challenge, Sheboygan, USA.
* October 28 – November 1, Busan Cup Women’s International Match Race, Busan, Korea.

Background: The 2015 Women’s International Match Racing Series is in its third season, providing a four-event professional sailing circuit organized by the Women’s International Match Racing Association for the world’s leading women match racing sailors. An overall prize purse of 40 000 USD will be distributed by the WIM Series at the final event in addition to prize money at each of the four events.