On the starting grid

Training day in Lysekil, Sweden prior to tomorrow's start of the ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championship

The ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championship starting tomorrow in Lysekil, Sweden is the most prestigious event in women's match racing, with added interest, as it is the first in the four-year cycle, culminating in the 2012 Olympic Games, where Women’s Match Racing will feature for the first time.

Today after a few hours of training in more than 20 knots of wind, the 12 teams had a good taste of what to expect over the next five days. Tomorrow see the start of the first round robin.

The 12 teams come from seven different countries: Great Britain, France, Australia, USA, Germany, Denmark and Sweden. A tight starting field with many options for the gold medal.

Britain’s 22-year old Lucy MacGregor is the youngest skipper in the World Championship, but one of the most successful, ranked third on the ISAF ranking. MacGregor already has a busy campaign, training full time towards the 2012 Olympics in her home waters.

World Champion, France's Claire Leroy is of course one of the favourites for gold as well as Australian Katie Spithill, who won the important Match Race Sweden earlier this month. Several of the Scandinavian teams have clear chances to win - in particular Sweden's Linda Rahm will be defending her double victory in in Lysekil 2008 and 2007. The Swedes and Danes are used to sailing on the Danish race yacht, the DS37 match racer, a fast and physical match racing yacht.

The opening ceremony will take place tonight by the square-rigger Götheborg. During the week more than 85,000 spectators are expected to watch the yacht racing or join in with some of the many activities on land like free concerts, outdoor cinema, auctions or clothes shopping, food and even beds in one of the many exhibition stands.

12 skippers to the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship (with ISAF world ranking number):
Claire Leroy (1) FRA
Katie Spithill (2) AUS
Lucy MacGregor (3) GBR
Linda Rahm (4)SWE
Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen (5) DEN
Silke Hahlbrock (6) GER
Sally Barkow (7) USA
Nicole Souter (8) AUS
Anna Kjellberg (10) SWE
Camilla Ulrikkeholm (13) DEN
Christelle Philippe (19) FRA
Marie Björling (wild card) SWE