ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championship - Anna Kjellberg all set

by ISAF on 5 Jun 2013 The competition at the ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championship is set for lift off on 5 June and Sweden's Anna Kjellberg is relishing her return to match racing action. Kjellberg sailed at the London 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition in the Women's Match Racing Competition where she finished 12th with her crew of Malin Kallstrom and Lotta Harrysson.

After some time away from the high pressure environment Kjellberg stepped away from sailing to decide her next move, 'I needed some time off, time to think and to not sail,' said the Swede.

'After some months it was not fun doing nothing so I started to plan different sailing plans. I couldn't decide what to sail, an Olympic class, Catamarans or Match Racing.

'I made a positive and negative list and I realised quickly that all I love about sailing is in match racing. So now I'm building a new team and having so much fun sailing again.'

Kjellberg's team for the ISAF Women's Match Race Worlds consists of former 470 sailors Karin Almquist, Linnea Wennergren and Annie Wennergren and former Yngling sailor Johanna Larsson.

The Swedish skipper has sailed at three World Championships posting steady results. In 2009 in Lysekil, Sweden Kjellberg took bronze and two years later in Perth, Australia posted a steady sixth in a challenging regatta to qualify for London 2012.

A 14th in Gothenburg, Sweden last year followed but with different faces Kjellberg is keen to get going, 'We are a new team and are looking forward to this event. We are developing each minute together and have been training since the ice broke in Sweden in April.

'It's always special to sail at a World Championship and so far my best results have been at the Worlds so we are looking forward to a great sailing week in Korea.

'I know it will be hard racing and it looks like light winds and that's always tricky.'

Skippers take to the water on 4 June for a practice day with the Opening Ceremony in the evening before the competition gets going on 5 June through to 9 June.

Competing Skippers

1. Ekaterina Skudina (RUS) - World #2
2. Camilla Ulrikkeholm (DEN) - World #4
3. Tamara Echegoyen (ESP) - World #9
4. Alexa Bezel (SUI) - World #12
5. Anna Kjellberg (SWE) - World #21
6. Claudia Pierce (NZL) - World #25
7. Susannah Pyatt (NZL) - World #52
8. Sung-Eun Choi (KOR) - World #130
9. Katie Spithill (AUS) - World #165 Busan Match ISAF Event Microsite