Macgregor still a nose ahead

At the Women's International Match Racing Series kicks in Saint Quay

When racing continued today in Saint Quay-Portrieux, France, at the first event of the inaugural Women's International Match Racing Series, Lucy Macgregor won all her matches but two, to maintain her top position with an impressive 12-2 record after a still unfinished second round-robin.

Local French sailor Julie Bossard and Stephanie Roble from the USA both defeated Macgregor today, and with a 11 - 4 record respectively they are now hot on her heels.

Despite losing two matches Lucy Macgregor still thinks she and her team had a really good day on the Elliot 6s: "We sailed better and better as the day went on, but just as on the opening day we had to come from behind a couple of times."

Julie Bossard from bear by Saint Brieuc used her knowledge of the local conditions to climb up the scoreboard, after losing just a single match today: "I'm actually in an Olympic campaign in 49er FX right now, so I didn't know until very late that we could participate here in Saint Quay. Now we have got our team work together and found the speed too," she said. "There was a lot of fighting in the start, but no penalties were given. When the gun went off both boats lacked speed and were on different tacks, so it was a split start. We led at the first crossing and could then, thanks to better upwind speed, defend the advantageous starboard side of the course to stretch out our lead even further."

However, as Macgregor says: "Unfortunately we got the wrong side at the first beat, and once behind it was really hard to fight back and get round them."

Anna Kjellberg of Sweden and Klaartje Zuiderbaan, The Netherlands, are tied in fourth place with nine wins and six losses apiece. The latter lost four matches, but only won three today: "Looking at the results it was worse than yesterday, but my impression is we sailed better today," said Zuiderbaan. "Except for a few timing mistakes by myself. And we definitely came off the water with a good feeling!"

This was the same for Kjellberg and her team who were only beaten by Stephanie Roble: "We had a completely different mind-set today, sailing our matches from a tactical point-of-view instead of thinking too much about our manoeuvres. And the cooperation within our crew also worked a lot better."

Standings

1. Lucy Macgregor, GBR, 12 - 2
2. Julie Bossard, FRA, 11 - 4
2. Stephanie Roble, USA, 11 - 4
4. Anna Kjellberg, SWE, 9 - 6
4. Klaartje Zuiderbaan, NED, 9 - 6
6. Claudia Pierce, NZL, 6 - 8
7. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 6 - 9
8. Milly Bennett, AUS, 5 - 9
9. Alexa Bezel, SUI, 4 - 11
10. Morgane Dréau, FRA, 0 - 14

The inaugural 2013 Women's International Match Racing Series is a professional sailing circuit, hosted by the Women's International Match Racing Association for the world's leading women match racing sailors. In match racing the crews meet two by two in exciting duels that can easily be followed and understood by the spectators.

An overall prize purse of 50 000 USD will be distributed by the WIMRSeries at the final event in Lysekil, Sweden, in addition to the prize money at each of the five events included in the WIMRSeries (date, event name, location, boat type):
* May 15-19 - Saint Quay Women's Match Racing - St Quay-Portrieux, France - Elliott 6m.
* June 6-9 - Busan Cup International Women's Match Race - Busan, Korea - K 30.
* June 20-23 - Danish Open Ladies Cup - Copenhagen, Denmark - J/80.
* July 11-14 - New York Women's Invitational - Oakcliff, New York, USA - SM 40.
* August 5-10 - Lysekil Women's Match - Lysekil, Sweden - DS 37.