Last place decided

Marie Björling claims the final spot at the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship in Lysekil

Former world-ranked number one skipper Marie Björling will take the 12th and final spot at the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship in Lysekil, Sweden, this summer. This final place to the 2009 ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship, to be held over 27 July - 1 August, was determined in a Swedish qualifier during the Nordic Women’s Match Racing Tour held in Skovshoved in Denmark.

Marie Björling is one of the world’s most successful match racers. For three years she was ranked number one on the Women’s ISAF World Match Race Ranking list. She has four world championship silver medals and one bronze medal.

Today she is a mother of three and has had a two-year break from match racing. The regatta last weekend was the first race the team has competed since the break. With many of the world’s top skippers attending, Björling and her team took an impressive fourth place and won the Swedish qualifier for the last spot to the world championships.

"The opposition was tough with many of the top ranked skippers taking part," said Björling. "As it was our first regatta we are very happy with our fourth place. We see that we are close to the very best. With a bit of training we will be fit for fight for the world championships this summer. We have a lot of experience, we work well together and are extremely motivated to sail again."

With women's match racing becoming an Olympic disciple, so never before has the standard been as high as for the coming world championships in Lysekil. With Marie Björling’s comeback, there will be one more fierce challenger for the gold medal.

"It is really the top elite that will come to Lysekil for the world championships this summer," said Project Manager Anna Holmdal White, who is also part of Marie Björling’s crew. "The level is getting higher and higher. Everyone is training very hard for the event, especially now that match racing for women is on the Olympic programme for London 2012."

With its 50 000 Euro prize purse, ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championship 2009 / Lysekil Women's Match is the world’s biggest competition in women’s match racing. The event is organised by Sailnet Lysekil AB together with Lysekil Yacht Club Gullmar. Main sponsors are Preem and Stena Bulk, with Carpe Diem Beds of Sweden, Concordia Maritime, Sebago and the Lysekil Local Authority as partners.

12 skippers to the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship (with ranking number):
Claire Leroy (FRA) - 1
Linda Rahm (SWE) - 2
Lucy MacGregor (GBR) - 3
Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen (DEN ) - 4
Silke Hahlbrock (GBR - 5
Sally Barkow (USA) - 8
Katie Spithill (AUS) - 9
Anna Kjellberg (SWE) - 10
Christelle Philippe (FRA) - 11
Camilla Ulrikkeholm (DEN) - 12
Nicole Souter (AUS) - 15
Marie Björling (SWE) - 101