Team Mac wins at Match Racing Worlds

Lysekil, Sweden (August 10, 2019) – Lucy Macgregor (GBR), with her Team Mac, sailed home the gold in Lysekil Women’s Match, and this year’s Women’s Match Racing World Championship 2019. Macgregor showed why she is the reigning world champion when she won over 2008 World Champ Claire Leroy (FRA) with 3-0 in the tough final, taking home the gold, and 300,000 Swedish kronor ($31,400 USD) in prize money.

“I am honestly speechless!” admitted Macgregor. “Absolutely thrilled, such a fantastic feeling.” This is Macgregor’s fourth title after also taking the title in 2010 (USA), 2017 (Finland), and 2018 (Russia).

The bronze went to Pauline Courtois (FRA) after defeating Renée Groeneveld (NED) 2-1 in the petit final.

Final Standings
1. Team Mac – Lucy Macgregor, Amy Sparks, Bethan Carden, Mary Rook, Kate Macgregor – GBR
2. Mermaid Sailing Team – Claire Leroy, Mathilde Geron, Julie Gerecht, Lola Billy, Sigrid Longeau – FRA
3. Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team – Pauline Courtois, Maëlenn Lemaître, Louise Acker, Nathalie Corson , Sophie Faguet – FRA
4. Dutch Match Racing Team – Renée Groeneveld, Marcelien Bos – de Koning, Marieke Jongens, Marije Tijssen-Kampen, Mijke Lievens – NED
5. WINGS – Anna Östling, Annie Wennergren, Linnéa Wennergren, Marie Berg, Annika Carlunger – SWE
6. Team Emerson – Marie Björling Duell, Anna Holmdahl White, Elisabeth Nilsson, Jenny Axhede, Anna Nordlander – SWE
7. Team Bergqvist Match Racing – Johanna Bergqvist, Isabelle Bergqvist, Johanna Thiringer, Ellinor Hansson, Julia Carlsson – SWE
8. Vela Racing – Nicole Breault, Allie Blecher, Karen Loutzenheiser, Beka Schiff, Carina Becker – USA
9. Team Kattnakken – Trine Palludan, Sille Christensen, Lea Richter Vogelius, Vivi Møller, Joan Wester Hansen – DEN
10. L2 Match Racing Team – Marinella Laaksonen, Sofia Tynkkynen, Camilla Cedercreutz, Henna Holopainen, Catharina Sandman – FIN
11. Swiss Women Match Racing Team – Alexa Bezel, Fiona Testuz, Manon Kivell, Andrea Nordquist, Blandine Jaffrain – SUI
12. Matchmoiselles by Normandy Elite Team – Margot Vennin, Juliette Dubreuil, Clotilde Ponçon, Chloé Salou, Sophonie Affagard – FRA

Standings in WIM Series 2019 (after two events)
1. Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team, Pauline Courtois – FRA, 43
2. WINGS, Anna Östling – SWE, 38
3. Team Emerson, Marie Björling Duell – SWE, 30
4. Team Mac, Lucy Macgregor – GBR, 25
5. Matchmoiselles by Normandy Elite Team, Margot Vennin – FRA, 25
6. L2 Match Racing Team, Marinella Laaksonen – FIN, 25
7. Mermaid Sailing Team / New Sweden Match Racing Team, Claire Leroy – FRA, 22
8. Team Kattnakken, Trine Palludan / Lea Richter Vogelius – DEN, 22
9. Dutch Match Racing Team, Renée Groeneveld – NED, 18
10. Team Bergqvist Match Racing, Johanna Bergqvist – SWE, 12
11. APCC Women Sailing Team, Margot Riou – FRA, 12
12. Vela Racing, Nicole Breault – USA, 10
13. No Name Sailing Team, Chloé Le Bars – FRA, 10
14. Swiss Women Match Racing Team, Alexa Bezel – SUI, 6

WIM Series – Event details – Results – Facebook – Past winners

The format began on August 6 with a round robin and repechage stage to advance the best eight teams to the quarter-finals, which was followed by semi-finals and the final. The final was raced on Saturday, August 10.

Entry list (Skipper, ranking, nationality):
Pauline Courtois, 1, (FRA)
Anna Östling, 2, (SWE)
Johanna Bergqvist, 3, (SWE)
Trine Palludan, 4, (DEN)
Nicole Breault, 5, (USA)
Marinella Laaksonen, 6, (FIN)
Margot Vennin, 7, (FRA)
Alexa Bezel, 10, (SUI)
Claire Leroy, 13, (FRA)
Lucy Macgregor, 18, (GBR) – 2018 World Champion
Renée Groeneveld, 20, (NED)
Marie Björling, 22, (SWE)

Background:
The Women’s International Match Racing Association (WIMRA) was formed in 1996 and is an international association of women sailors whose mission is to expand and strengthen global match racing and promote opportunities for competitive women’s sailing at every level.

WIMRA created the first and only professional sailing series for women in 2013 – the Women’s International Match Racing Series (WIM Series). The WIM Series delivers a global circuit of competition to test the world’s best sailors in a format of round robin and knock-out matches.

2019 WIM Series Schedule:
June 6-9 – Normandie Match Cup 2019 – Le Havre, France
August 6-10 – Women’s Match Racing World Championship (Lysekil Women’s Match) – Lysekil, Sweden
October 11-16 – China International Women’s Match Race – Shanghai, China

Source: WIM Series