Top eight confirmed at WIM Series China

Shanghai, China (October 14, 2019) – The morning of the third day of racing at China International Women’s Match Race decided the four teams that would make it straight to the quarter-finals and which teams would have to fight for the other four spots in the repechage round.

Racing took off in a breeze of 10 knots with nice shifts to play for the teams as we saw the higher ranked teams racing each other in the end of the first stage. But the matches got tighter and the excitement built, as did the wind. There were quite a few lead changes as the spectators watched from the shore.

At the end of Stage One, the Australians led by skipper Clare Costanzo were the only team that beat Pauline Courtois’ Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team who won the first stage with a ten wins and only that one loss.

Kiwi Celia Willison’s Edge Racing and the Swedish team of Johanna Bergqvist tied with 9 wins, with Willison winning the tie break. These three teams were joined by Margot Riou and her APCC Women Sailing Team to advance directly to the quarter-final and earn an afternoon off from racing.

In the afternoon the breeze at Dishui Lake was building to over 16 knots with gusts to 22. Six teams went out to the Repechage round to fight for the last four spots to the quarter-finals. Costanzo’s Australian team found themselves just outside the top four team, but they had a second chance. And as the day went on the Australians looked better and better to go undefeated.

“Things have started to fall into place on the racetrack,” noted Costanzo. “We are really enjoying sailing with each other and the wind today was fun in the Fareast 28r. Our race against Courtois was good to consolidate everything we have learnt as a team and convert it into a win. We’re really looking forward to more racing tomorrow.”

The breeze made it challenging in the Fareast 28r boats with the huge gennaker to control. And it came down to the very last match of the day when Russian skipper Ekaterina Chashchina managed to pass the local Chinese team skippered by Xiaowen Ni just before the finish line, winning with only a few meters between them. A few meters that gave her a ticket to the quarter-finals.

After being defeated and thrown out from further racing, Xiaowen Ni was still pleased with their performance. “For me it was the first time as a skipper in a match racing event and we are new as a team,” said Ni. “I did match racing in the Elliott 6m as a bow-person, but it was more challenging and fun to drive. We really sailed our best and the learning curve is steep. We are already looking forward to next year!”

All eight teams for the quarter-finals starting tomorrow are now confirmed with Danish Lea Richter Vogelius’ Team Kattnakken and French Margot Vennin’s Matchmoiselles by Normandy Elite Team also advancing from the Repechage.

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

Format: Racing in the Fareast 28R is from October 12 to 16, beginning with the round robin where all teams will face each other. The top four teams from the round robin advance to the quarterfinals while the next six will have a second change in the repechage stage to advance to the quarter-finals. The semi-finals and finals will follow.

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

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