Anna Kjellberg on countback

Wind dies for deciding final match at the New York Women's Invitational

Anna Kjellberg won the New York Women's Invitational - but her opponent Lucy Macgregor still sits at the top of the Women's International Match Race Series standings.

The finals of the New York Women's Invitational ended with a 2-2 score between Anna Kjellberg of Sweden and Lucy Macgregor of Great Britain, when lack of wind caused the time limit to expire and the organisers at Oakcliff Sailing were unable to run the final decider.

As Kjellberg won the round-robins, she takes the win and her first event title on the Women's International Match Racing Series.

"I can hardly imagine how well we've sailed this week," said the Swedish skipper. "My girls have been absolutely magnificent. I'm so happy to helm a boat with such an extraordinary crew."

The final day of the New York Women's Invitational, the penultimate event of the inaugural Women's International Match Racing Series, started with light winds, but yet fairly stable conditions in the morning.

As the wind dropped after two flights, the race committee decided to move the course and continue racing in more fluctuating conditions closer to shore.

As Kjellberg commented: "We sailed the first two races without any mistakes and with a great focus, coming off the line in good positions and then being able to race our own way round the course, stretching our lead further. When we lost the third race the conditions were okay but not more, and then in the fourth race it was more like a lottery to get the puffs. We were definitely prepared to take a fifth race if we would have had to, but I think the race committee did the right thing to abandon racing in these conditions. It's been a tough day for them too."

Lucy Macgregor struggled a little in the morning, losing her first two final matches to Kjellberg. "My starting was not very good, and in these conditions the starts are everything," she said. "We were just over the line too early in the first match, and then got a penalty in the second. In the next two races we started really well so I'm pleased we came back to get to 2-2."

Not very surprisingly she was more keen than Kjellberg on getting a fifth race underway, but unfortunately this was not to be. "The race committee tried really hard to get all the racing in, so overall I don't think we can be too disappointed. Anna sailed a great regatta so I am pleased for her and her crew."

In the petit final Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen of Denmark defeated American Stephanie Roble in two straight matches to get third place in New York Women's Invitational.

"Coming here with a completely new crew with very various experience we had no expectations at all," said Pedersen. "But we evolved a lot during the week and I'm very pleased to end up on a podium position."

Roble experienced difficulties in finding the pressure and avoiding current on the race course, but still managed to give the Danish skipper a fight. "In the first race they snuck right by us at the finish line, as we had totally different breeze coming down the last run. In the second race we executed the start we wanted, but weren't able to hold Lotte off after she found some good pressure on the right side of the course."

The next and final event on the inaugural 2013 Women's International Match Racing Series is Lysekil Women's Match in Lysekil, Sweden, over 5-10 August. A WIMRS prize purse of US$50 000 will be distributed among the top three WIMRS skippers after the Lysekil event. Since Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen and Stephanie Roble will not be present in Lysekil, it will be Camilla Ulrikkeholm, Anna Kjellberg and of course the current WIMRS leader Lucy Macgregor battling for that money.

Total results in the New York Women's Invitational, the penultimate event of the inaugural 2013 Women's International Match Racing Series (skipper/crew/nationality/WIMRS points/prize money):

1. Anna Kjellberg, Karin Almquist, Vanja Lundberg, Marie Berg, Annie Wennergren, Annika Carlunger, SWE, 25, 2 600 USD 2. Lucy Macgregor, Penny Clark, Kate Macgregor, Claire Lasko, Jody Sanders, Alana O'Reilly, GBR, 22, 1 600 USD 3. Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, Anna Holmdahl White/Wyz Mooney, Liz Baylis, Brittany Demetriou, Sonja Draben, Dawn Riley, DEN, 19, 1 300 USD 4. Stephanie Roble, Jessica Eastwell, Maggie Shea, Martha Pitt, Ann Schwagerl, Kyra Goldsmith, USA, 14, 1 100 USD 5. Caroline Sylvan, Megan Six, Anne Corvi, Sara Sigvardsdotter, My Karlsten, Theres Wolgast, SWE, 12, 1 000 USD 6. Nicole Breault, Molly Carapiet, Dana Riley, Julie Servais, Karen Loutzenheiser, Julie Mitchell, USA, 10, 900 USD 7. Claudia Pierce, Alessandra Angelini, Paige Cook, Marie Kent, Janelle Peat, Aimee Famularo, NZL, 8, 800 USD 8. Madeline Gill, Farrah Hall, Chantal Hearst, Danielle Gallo, Sue Disanti, Laurel Gaudet, USA, 6, 700 USD

Results in the final of New York Women's Invitational: Anna Kjellberg, SWE - Lucy Macgregor, GBR 2 - 2 (Kjellberg wins due to better results in the round-robins)

#Results in the petit final of New York Women's Invitational: Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, DEN - Stephanie Roble, USA 2 - 0

Standings in the 2013 Women's International Match Racing Series after four events, in France, Korea, Denmark and USA (skipper/nationality/WIMRS points): 1. Lucy Macgregor, GBR, 66 2. Anna Kjellberg, SWE, 61 3. Stephanie Roble, USA, 47 4. Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, DEN, 44 4. Camilla Ulrikkeholm, DEN, 44 6. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 26 7. Tamara Echegoyen, ESP, 25 7. Klaartje Zuiderbaan, NED, 25 7. Claudia Pierce, NZL, 25 10. Julie Bossard, FRA, 22 11. Katie Spithill, AUS, 19 12. Alexa Bezel, SUI, 17 13. Merel Witteveen, NED, 15 13. Ekaterina Skudina, RUS, 15 15. Nicole Breault, USA, 10 16. Susannah Pyatt, NZL, 9 17. Milly Bennett, AUS, 8 18. Anna Kjellgren, SWE, 7 19. Madeline Gill, USA, 6 20. Anne Marit Hansen, NOR, 4 20. Sung-Eun Choi, KOR, 4 20. Morgane Dréau, FRA, 4