New York Women's Invitational - Anna Kjellberg wins, but not on top

by Joakim Hermansson on 15 Jul 2013 In the 2013 New York Women's Invitational, Anna Kjellberg claimed the event victory, but opponent Lucy Macgregor runs to the top of the WIMR Series' standings.

The finals of the New York Women's Invitational ended with a two - two score between Anna Kjellberg of Sweden and Lucy Macgregor of Great Britain, when lack of wind caused the time limit to expire and the organizers at Oakcliff Sailing could not run the final 'winner-take-it-all' race. As Kjellberg won the round-robins, she takes her first event title on the Women's International Match Racing Series: 'I can hardly imagine how well we've sailed this week. My girls have been absolutely magnificent. I'm so happy to helm a boat with such an extraordinary crew' an overwhelmed Anna laughed after her victory.

The final day of the New York Women's Invitational, the penultimate event of the inaugural 2013 Women's International Match Racing Series, started with light winds but yet fairly stable conditions in the morning. As the wind dropped after two flights, the race committee decided to move the course and continue racing in more fluctuating conditions closer to shore: 'We sailed the first two races without any mistakes and with a great focus, coming off the line in good positions and then being able to race our own way round the course, stretching our lead further. When we lost the third race the conditions were OK but not more, and then in the fourth race it was more like a lottery to get the puffs' Anna Kjellberg comments, obviously satisfied with the outcome of the day. 'We were definitely prepared to take a fifth race if we would have had to, but I think the race committee did the right thing to abandon racing in these conditions. It's been a tough day for them too.'

Kjellberg's final opponent, Lucy Macgregor, struggled a little in the morning, losing her first two final matches to Kjellberg: 'My starting was not very good, and in these conditions the starts were everything. We were just over the line too early in the first match, and then got a penalty in the second. In the next two races we started really well so I'm pleased we came back to get to two - two' Macgregor says. Not very surprisingly she was more keen than Kjellberg on getting a fifth race underway, but unfortunately saw her chances disappear as time went on and the little wind there was dropped even further: 'The race committee tried really hard to get all the racing in, so overall I don't think we can be too disappointed. Anna sailed a great regatta so I am pleased for her and her crew' Lucy comments, looking forward to the upcoming World Championships in Nacra 17.

In the petit final Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen of Denmark defeated American Stephanie Roble in two straight matches to get third place in New York Women's Invitational: 'Coming here with a completely new crew with very various experience we had no expectations at all. But we evolved a lot during the week and I'm very pleased to end up on a podium position' Lotte smiles. Stephanie Roble experienced difficulties in finding wind pressure and avoiding current on the race course, still managing to give the Danish skipper a fight: 'In the first race they snuck right by us at the finish line, as we had totally different breeze coming down the last run. In the second race we executed the start we wanted, but weren't able to hold Lotte off after she found some good pressure on the right side of the course' Stephanie explains.

The next and final event on the inaugural 2013 Women's International Match Racing Series is Lysekil Women's Match in Lysekil, Sweden, August fifth - tenth. A WIMRS prize purse of 50 000 USD will be distributed among the top three WIMRS skippers after the Lysekil event. Since Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen and Stephanie Roble will not be present in Lysekil, it will be Camilla Ulrikkeholm, Anna Kjellberg and of course the current WIMRS leader Lucy Macgregor battling off for that money.

[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]
Total results in the New York Women's Invitational, the penultimate event of the inaugural 2013 Women's International Match Racing Series (skipper/crew/nationality/WIMRS points/prize money):

1. Anna Kjellberg, Karin Almquist, Vanja Lundberg, Marie Berg, Annie Wennergren, Annika Carlunger, SWE, 25, two 600 USD
2. Lucy Macgregor, Penny Clark, Kate Macgregor, Claire Lasko, Jody Sanders, Alana O'Reilly, GBR, 22, 1 600 USD
3. Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, Anna Holmdahl White/Wyz Mooney, Liz Baylis, Brittany Demetriou, Sonja Draben, Dawn Riley, DEN, 19, 1 300 USD
4. Stephanie Roble, Jessica Eastwell, Maggie Shea, Martha Pitt, Ann Schwagerl, Kyra Goldsmith, USA, 14, 1 100 USD 5. Caroline Sylvan, Megan Six, Anne Corvi, Sara Sigvardsdotter, My Karlsten, Theres Wolgast, SWE, 12, 1 000 USD 6. Nicole Breault, Molly Carapiet, Dana Riley, Julie Servais, Karen Loutzenheiser, Julie Mitchell, USA, 10, 900 USD
7. Claudia Pierce, Alessandra Angelini, Paige Cook, Marie Kent, Janelle Peat, Aimee Famularo, NZL, 8, 800 USD
8. Madeline Gill, Farrah Hall, Chantal Hearst, Danielle Gallo, Sue Disanti, Laurel Gaudet, USA, 6, 700 USD

Results in the final of New York Women's Invitational: Anna Kjellberg, SWE - Lucy Macgregor, GBR two - two (Kjellberg wins due to better results in the round-robins)

Results in the petit final of New York Women's Invitational: Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, DEN - Stephanie Roble, USA two - zero

Standings in the 2013 Women's International Match Racing Series after four events, in France, Korea, Denmark and USA (skipper/nationality/WIMRS points):

1. Lucy Macgregor, GBR, 66
2. Anna Kjellberg, SWE, 61
3. Stephanie Roble, USA, 47
4. Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, DEN, 44
5. Camilla Ulrikkeholm, DEN, 44
6. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 26 7. Tamara Echegoyen, ESP, 25
7. Klaartje Zuiderbaan, NED, 25
8. Claudia Pierce, NZL, 25
9. Julie Bossard, FRA, 22
10. Katie Spithill, AUS, 19 12. Alexa Bezel, SUI, 17
11. Merel Witteveen, NED, 15 13. Ekaterina Skudina, RUS, 15
12. Nicole Breault, USA, 10 16. Susannah Pyatt, NZL, 9 17. Milly Bennett, AUS, eight
13. Anna Kjellgren, SWE, seven
14. Madeline Gill, USA, 6 20. Anne Marit Hansen, NOR, four
15. Sung-Eun Choi, KOR, 4 20. Morgane Dréau, FRA, four
WIMRS website