WIMRS New York Women’s Invitational - Tight at the top on Day 1

by WIMRS Media on 12 Jul 2013 Women’s International Match Racing Series - After the first day of round-robin racing at the New York Women’s Invitational, Stephanie Roble from Chicago and Sweden Anna Kjellberg are both undefeated in the lead. The very light winds challenged the competitors and allowed only three full flights to be run.

When the inaugural Women’s International Match Racing Series came to Oakcliff for its only US stop, everything was set for a great match racing regatta. Some of the world’s foremost women match racing sailors in the demanding and spectacular SM 40 boats, the biggest on the Series, paved the way for exciting duels and breath-taking manoeuvres. Then the weather just didn’t want to cooperate. After a grey and rainy morning the sun finally came out, but then the wind dropped to barely five knots, and often less than that. Just three flights of four matches each were raced, as well as the first match of the fourth flight, before racing was abandoned for the day.

Stephanie Roble from the Chicago Match Race Center was not only helming the SM 40’s for the first time, it was also her debut helming a boat with a wheel instead of a tiller: 'It took some time to get the boat up to speed in the light winds, so we had to minimize the manoeuvres. My crew did an awesome job with the boathandling' she says, admitting that some of her girls haven’t sailed together before.

'A key today was to get off the start in a controlling position, and I think we managed to do that fairly well. We focused on one race at a time and are happy for our results today' she adds.Anna Kjellberg of Sweden called the conditions in the Long Island Sound nail-biting and tricky, but yet she finished her day undefeated with three victories:

'We had a great feeling and really good cooperation in our boat today. Of course the winds were very light, but I still think it was fair sailing' she comments. 'It was a matter of finding the shifts and the pressure, and to keep a level head and go for what you thought was right. My crew is experienced and a great support with all their
routine' she praises.

American Nicole Breault is sailing her first Women’s International Match Racing Series event here in Oakcliff, and she got a little bit of extra confidence when defeating world ranking runner up Lucy Macgregor of Great Britain: 'I respect her immensely. I’ve been fortunate enough to put together a great team, and we had a really good time today' Breault concludes.

Standings in the New York Women’s Invitational
skipper/nationality/wins/losses
1. Stephanie Roble, USA, 3 – 0
1. Anna Kjellberg, SWE, 3 – 0
3. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 3 – 1
4. Nicole Breault, USA, 2 – 1
4. Lucy Macgregor, GBR, 2 – 1
6. Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, DEN, 0 – 3
6. Claudia Pierce, NZL, 0 – 3
6. Madeline Gill, USA, 0 – 4