Women's Match Racing World Championship - Exciting final day

by WIM Series on 22 Jun 2017 For a second day, the thunderstorms rushed the sailors off of the water, but not before Lucy Macgregor (GBR) and her Team Mac with teammates Silja Lehtinen Frost, Rosie Watkins, Imogen Stanley, and Charlotte Lawrence were declared 2017 Women's Match Racing World Champions in Helsinki, defeating the Dutch Match Racing Team skippered by Renée Groeneveld (NED) sailing with Marcelien Bos-De Koning, Lobke Berkhout, Sanne Akkerman, and Mijke Lievens.

This is Lucy Macgregor’s second Women’s Match Racing World Championship title. She won her previous title in Newport, Rhode Island, USA in 2010 but did not seem to miss a beat. “A new team for me this year. And they were all absolutely brilliant. I can’t possibly speak more highly enough of every single person on board. They did their job and ten times more all week. The crew really saved me. Fantastic effort by them,” praised Macgregor of her crew.

The score line may seem on the surface that Team Mac was not challenged, but the battles on the water told a different story. Lots of close matches and thrilling exchanges. “Today I was able to go on the water for one of the most fantastic matches of the Championship between Team Mac and Team Anna in the Semi-Finals. Tough battles, lead changes – it was so close that you really had no idea who was going to win until the last gybe. And it was so much fun to watch,” surmised Liz Baylis, WIM Series Manager.

The Final matches between Team Mac and the Dutch Match Racing Team were more hard fought battles. When asked what were the keys for winning those matches, both skippers agreed: starts and playing the wind shifts. After dawning with a brisk clear sky the weather quickly changed to big clouds accompanied by huge wind shifts.

“Keeping our heads out of the boats and playing the shifts made all of the difference,” answered Groeneveld when asked about the key to her win over Macgregor in the third match of the Finals.

Macgregor spoke about Groeneveld and her team: “She (Groeneveld) is a brilliant sailor, as are her team. You have multiple medallists there – a really fantastic team.”

As the boats approached the finish of the fourth and deciding match of the Finals, the race committee was scrambling to get all of the assets off of the water as a tremendous thunderstorm was approaching the area. Everyone was safely ashore just as the clouds opened and dumped rain across the venue.

After the brief yet violent showers, the Closing Ceremonies in Hernesaaren Ranta were a festive event with everything from a heartfelt thank you from World Sailing Vice President Ana Sanchez to the prize giving to dancing on stage to the live band.

The following awards were presented:

Nucci Novi Ceppellini Memorial Trophy – Lucy Macgregor (GBR)

The first-placed skipper following the round robin was presented with the ISAF / World Sailing Nucci Novi Ceppellini Memorial Trophy. The trophy is named after Nucci Novi Ceppellini, ISAF Vice-President from 1998-2008, who passed away in February 2008 after many years dedicated to the sport, with women's match racing one of her particular passions.

World Sailing Medals:

The first, second and third place overall team received World Sailing Gold, Silver and Bronze medals, respectively.

Gold: Team Mac - Lucy Macgregor, Silja Frost, Rosie Watkins, Imogen Stanley, Charlotte Lawrence

Silver: Dutch Match Racing Team - Renée Groeneveld, Marcelien Bos-De Koning, Lobke Berkhout, Sanne Akkerman, Mijke Lievens

Bronze: Team Experience - Trine Palludan, Lea Richter Vogelius, Vivi Lund Møller, Anne Sofie Munk-Hansen, Joan Vestergård Hansen

Françoise Pascal Memorial - Women's Match Racing World Championship Trophy – Lucy Macgregor, Silja Frost, Rosie Watkins, Imogen Stanley, Charlotte Lawrence

The winning team at the ISAF / World Sailing Women's Match Racing World Championship are crowned World Champions and presented with the ISAF Françoise Pascal Memorial - Women's Match Racing World Championship Trophy. The trophy is named in honour of the late Françoise Pascal, a former Vice-President of the Fédération Française de Voile and a hugely influential figure in the growth of women's match racing.

2017 Women’s Match Racing World Championship

Final Standings (skipper, nationality, Team Name, WIM Series points):

1. Lucy Macgregor, GBR, Team Mac, 25
2. Renée Groeneveld, NED, Dutch Match Racing Team, 22
3. Trine Palludan, DEN, Team Experience, 20
4. Anna Östling, SWE, Team Anna, 18
5. Marinella Laaksonen, FIN, L2 Match Racing Team, 16
6. Mikaela Fors, FIN, Pen & Hammer Sailing Team, 14
7. Pauline Courtois, FRA, Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team, 12
8. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, New Sweden Match Racing Team, 10
9. Johanna Bergqvist, SWE, Team Bergqvist Match Racing, 8
10. Margot Riou, FRA, APCC Women's Sailing Team , 7
11. Martina Karlemo, FIN, Team Karlemo, 6
12. Antonia Degerlund, FIN, Team Sköna Vibbisar, 5
13. Sanna Häger, SWE, Stockholm Match Racing Team, 4
14. Ekaterina Kochkina, RUS, Team SailWay, 3

Final Results:

• Lucy Macgregor, GBR – Renée Groeneveld, NED, 3 – 1

Petit Final Results:

• Trine Palludan, DEN - Anna Östling, SWE, 2 – 0

Semi-Final Results:

• Lucy Macgregor, GBR – Anna Östling, SWE, 3 – 1
• Renée Groeneveld, NED – Trine Palludan, DEN, 3 - 1

The next event on the 2017 WIM Series is the Lysekil Women's Match in Lysekil, Sweden, 7-12 August 2017.