Women's match racing

The penultimate weekend of the JPMorgan Fleming Winter Challenge will be a women-only affair

The seventh JPMorgan Fleming Winter Challenge weekend on 26-27 February, open to women only, welcomes Olympic gold medallist Sarah Ayton, former bowman to Shirley Robertson, to the line-up. Yngling specialist Ayton, who now has her own team, will be bidding for a place in the 2008 Beijing Olympics which will mean helming against Shirley Robertson. This JPMorgan Fleming Winter Challenge weekend will see Ayton helm. Although unranked in the ISAF Match Racing rankings, Ayton is a member of Queen Mary Sailing Club, experience of the reservoir will help when facing the two top-ten ISAF Match Racers - world number two, Claire Leroy (FRA), and world number eight, Klaartje Zuiderbaan (NED), who will also be fighting for the very last place in the Grade 2 Final on 4th-6th March.

Gemma Farrell (118), joining the British contingency, will be seen later this year competing in Kiel Week and the Yngling World Championships, possibly on her way to challenge Ayton and Shirley Robertson for the Yngling spot at the Beijing Olympics. The highest British ranked helm is Lizzie Edwards (18), who will be challenging Sandy Hayes (USA), ranked one position higher at 17, to progress up the world ISAF rankings. Other British teams are Josie Gibson (77), Ruth Verrier-Jones (136) and Katie Archer.

The line up for the weekend is as follows:
Name/Nationality/ISAF Ranking
Claire Leroy (FRA) 2
Klaartje Zuiderbaan (NED) 8
Sandy Hayes (USA) 17
Lizzie Edwards (GBR) 18
Josie Gibson (GBR) 77
Gemma Farrell (GBR) 118
Ruth Verrier Jones (GBR) 136
Katie Archer -
Sarah Ayton -

The JPMorgan Fleming Winter Challenge Series culminates in the Final on 4th-6th March at Queen Mary Sailing Club, Sunbury. Press boats and sailing equipment will be available with prior notice.