Women’s International Match Race 2014 - Typhoon postpones Busan racing

by Joakim Hermansson/WIM Series on 13 Oct 2014 Busan Cup Women’s International Match Race 2014 – Regatta Director Alfredo Ricci hopes to resume racing Tuesday - With winds around 30 knots, and even stronger gusts from the nearby Super Typhoon Vongfong, there was no possibility at all to race in Busan on Monday. The sailors received the disappointing but expected message when gathered for the Monday morning briefing in the 19th floor gym of the Seacloud Hotel: 'From the hotel roof we can clearly see the sea state and feel how much the wind is blowing, well above the limit' Regatta Director Alfredo Ricci stated. 'Even without the Official Warning of Korean Coast Guard, there wasn’t a single chance to sail today' Ricci continued.

The Busan Cup Women’s International Match Race, the last event on the 2014 WIM Series, will resume racing Tuesday, if the weather allows: 'I have signals that the weather should improve during the night and I really hope we can go back sailing tomorrow' says Alfredo Ricci, well aware of the importance of the regatta.

There is not only a 100 000 USD prize purse for the Korean event at stake, but also the prestige of the Terry J Kohler Perpetual Trophy and the prize money of 50 000 USD for the 2014 WIM Series: 'The main goal for Tuesday is to do the three flights left to complete the two groups of the round-robin. Then we will proceed sailing the remaining flights, to complete a full and fair round-robin' the Regatta Director concludes.

Standings in the round-robin of the Busan Cup Women’s International Match Race, the fifth and final event of the 2014 WIM Series (skipper, country, wins – losses):

1. Anne-Claire Le Berre, FRA, 3 – 0
2. Katie Spithill, AUS, 3 – 1
2. Trine Palludan, DEN, 3 – 1
4. Stephanie Roble, USA, 2 – 1
4. Denise Lim, SIN, 2 – 1
4. Lucy Macgregor, GBR, 2 – 1
4. Susannah Pyatt, NZL, 2 – 1
8. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 2 – 2
9. Anna Kjellberg, SWE, 1 – 2
10. Sung Eun Choi, KOR, 0 – 3
10. Urara Fujii, JPN, 0 – 3
12. Claudia Pierce, NZL, 0 – Event website