Grand Slam of Women’s Match Racing

Ascona, Switzerland (October 31, 2018) – The Swiss International Women’s Match starts today and the World’s best female sailors have gathered on Lago Maggiore.

Competing in the regatta are ISAF world ranking leader Pauline Courtois, representing France, 4th ranked Marinella Laaksonen from Finland and Danish Trine Palludan, ranked 5th. These three skippers and their teams can also be found at the top of the preliminary scoreboard of the WIM Series 2018 after the events in Helsinki (Finland), Lysekil (Sweden) and Ekatrinburg (Russia).

Representing the host country is skipper Alexa Bezel and her Swiss Women Match Racing Team, currently ranked 14th. Alexa is really happy to see such a high-level match racing event take place in her home country.

The Swiss International Women’s Match is the penultimate event of the 2018 WIM Series circuit, the only professional sailing series for women. “It is great that we get the opportunity to showcase our passion for match racing in front of the local spectators here in Ascona,” says the Swiss skipper.

The event starts today, Wednesday October 31st, with the round robin stage, where all 12 teams will race each other. It is through this round and the subsequent repechage that 8 teams qualify for the quarter finals. The grand final where the best two teams meet is planned for Saturday 3rd of November.

Despite the prevailing weather conditions, torrential rain and thunder, the organization remains optimistic that the competition will run according to plan and that we will see spectacular sailing on Lago Maggiore over the course of the week. Things are looking up for the final’s day, the current weather forecast predicting sunshine and the race committee predicting an exciting battle.

Line-up Swiss International Women’s Match 2018:

Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team
Pauline Courtois (FRA), Maëlenn Lemaître, Louise Acker, Sophie Faguet

L2 Match Racing Team
Marinella Laaksonen (FIN), Daniela Rönnberg, Camilla Cedercreutz, Henna Holopainen, Lisa Gerkman

Team Kattnakken
Trine Palludan (DEN), Lea Richter Vogelius, Ida Hartvig, Line Mørkebjerg Fischer, Joan Wester Hansen

Stockholm Match Racing Team
Sanna Häger (SWE), Karin Bäckström, Cecilia Olsson, Klara Häger, Sara Edholm

Matchmoiselles by Normandy Elite Team
Margot Vennin (FRA), Marie Zugolaro, Juliette Dubreuil, Adèle Marévéry, Sophonie Affagard

Peregrine Racing
Linnea Floser (SWE), Sandra Sandqvist, Hanna Ericksson, Charlotte Eklund, Ann Johnson

Swiss Women Match Racing Team
Alexa Bezel (SWI), Fiona Testuz, Manon Kivell, Louise Thilo

APCC Women Sailing Team
Margot Riou (FRA), Clémentine Hilaire, Caroline Vandame, Marion Ledoux, Tiphaine Ragueneau

Swedish Women’s Match Racing Team
Sanna Mattsson (SWE), Niki Blässar, Therese Berg, Nellie Lindnér –

Mermaid Sailing Team
Claire Leroy (FRA), Mathilde Geron, Cassandre Blandin, Sigrid Longeau, Morgane Gautier

Women On Water (WOW)
Henriette Koch (DEN), Trine Bentzen, Lærke Ilsøe Nørgaard, Tine Kjærgaard, Lærke Marie Sørensen

ChicaCER
Laurane Mettraux (FRA), Coraline Jonet, Elodie-Jane Mettraux, Libby Greenhalgh, Nathalie Brugger

Racing is scheduled for October 31 – November 3, 2018.

Event Details – Results – Facebook