Spithill & Spithill - on the match trail

by Di Pearson on 7 Jun 2004 As Australia’s Katie Spithill and crew got underway in the ISAF Womens World Match Racing Championship in Annapolis, USA overnight, her brother James, having just won the BluRimini World Match Racing series, was heading back to Spain and the Luna Rossa America’s Cup camp.

Of his win at BluRimini, which is to be re-graded as a Grade 1 event, Spithill said, ‘it was a great result to have both our Luna Rossa teams in the top half of this strong field, particularly as none of us have raced for quite a while’ (team-mate Michele Ivaldi led the other Luna Rossa crew).

‘It was tough... windy and with a rough seaway for the semi’s and easing a little for the finals.’

Still recovering from his bout of influenza Spithill said he was ’tired but happy.’

‘Next month we will probably take on Trieste (Nations Cup) in the big boats and also Ravenna (Trofeo Roberto Trombini),' Spithill added of the events that his has won before, Trieste in 2003 and Ravenna in 2002, of which he was runner-up 2003.

Going back to the Women’s match event, a total of 31 matches were completed by 6 p.m. Sunday (local time) despite a long postponement waiting for wind to reappear.

It was not the easiest of days for either competitors or organisers, with major wind shifts all day, forcing organisers to abandon some races that had already started and waiting for wind to settle. Then there were some postponements - all in all it was a long day – almost 12 hours on Chesapeake Bay in breezes between 5 and 10 knots.

Like her brother James at BluRimini, Katie, with her crew of Nicky Souter, Stacey Jackson and Emma Bullough got away to a slow first day, winning only one of their five matches sailed in the J22 class. They defeated the 9th World ranked Paula Lewin (BER).

Jenny Axhede (SWE), leads after Day 1, having won four of her five matches. A number of others currently sit in second place with three wins apiece.

Racing is scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. Monday local time.


Match Details

Axhede 4 - 5

Baylis 3 – 4

Meldgaard Pedersen 3 - 4

Leroy 3 - 4

Gurioli 3 - 4

Barkow 3 - 4

Willits 3 - 4

Cronin 3 - 3

Braestrup 1 - 4

Kratzig 1 - 3

Philippe 1 - 4

Alison 1 - 3

Lewin 1 - 4

Spithill 1 - 4

Fauré 0 - 4

Rahm 0 - 4


Event website: http://www.santamariacup.org