Spithill makes Rolex Quarters

by Susannah Bourne, Strategic on 30 Nov 2000 Rolex 2000 ISAF Women's World Match Racing
Championship

The cream is rising to the top as eight more teams were eliminated from the World
Match Racing Champs today. A number of players are beginning to show their form at
this tough regatta, being held in St Petersburg, Florida.

Australia's Katie Spithill found it tougher today, winning four out of seven heats in the
second round robin. She contributed to the downfall of fourth seed Cordelia Eglin of Great
Britain who was the highest seed to fall out of the competition in the light and choppy
conditions. The 18-year-old also made a comeback after trailing 1999 World Sailor of the
Year Carolijn Brouwer of the Netherlands. 'They led us off the start,' said Spithill, 'but
we were pleased to be able to pass them and win that one.'

Amy Waring of New Zealand found the going tough, winning only one heat against Malin
Millbourn of Sweden. Now she must satisfy herself with doing the best she can in the
play-off for overall positions between 9th and 16th.

The race committee have been battling to get back on schedule in the teeth of extremely
fickle and trying conditions over the past few days. Today, they decided to bypass the
third round robin and move straight on to round four. This destroyed Waring's chances of
being able to climb back into the top eight who will fight out the last few elimination
rounds.

With two groups of eight teams competing in the second round robin, Britain's Olympic
gold medallist Shirley Robertson won her group with six wins out of seven. 'We are
sailing quite well and haven't made many mistakes,' said Robertson, who flew out a
week early to get to grips with the four-man Sonar in the choppy waters of Tampa Bay.
'Speed is crucial out there, and found we were able to tack our way out of trouble
today,' she added.

Robertson beat Marie Bjorling of Sweden, who also won six out of seven heats. Bjorling
almost wasn't here at all at this regatta, until another Swedish team dropped out with
crew injuries two weeks ago.

In the other group, there was a three-way tie for first between reigning world champion
Dorte Jensen of Denmark, Paula Lewin of Bermuda, and Hannah Swett of the USA,
crewed by America's Cup veteran and current Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year Dawn
Riley.

One of the very last races of the day, in the dying light over Tampa Bay, proved to be one
of the most exciting and significant. It was a nailbiter between the second and third
seeds, Betsy Alison of the USA and Klaarje Zuiderbaan of the Netherlands. Alison
looked to have got the better of the Dutch down the final run to the finish, but then
Zuiderbaan started gybing at her rival.

Alison responded aggressively and luffed Zuiderbaan hard, but the move backfired on her
as the Dutch stole her wind. Running down to the finish, both skippers looked across to
see who would steal the win, and it went to Zuiderbaan by a whisker. Alison, a five-time
winner of Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, did not look happy but by the time she
reached shore she was philosophical. 'We made some mistakes, but we're happy,' she
said. 'That two seconds that lost us the last race dropped us from winning the group to
coming fourth, but at least we're through to the next round and that's all that matters.'

After the fourth round robin, the eight top teams will begin the knock-out stages of the
contest - the quarter-finals, semi-finals and eventually the finals themselves which will
take place this Saturday, 2nd December.