US Women’s match race champ to fill final Cicada match berth

by Talbot Wilson/Barry Picthall on 30 Sep 2004 The winning skipper and her team, in the US Women’s Match Racing Championship sponsored by Rolex, will also win the right to sail against the world’s best women match racers in the Cicada International Women’s Match Racing Championship in Bermuda October 16-19.

Should they win again, they will move on to round one of the Investor’s Guaranty presentation of the King Edward VII Gold Cup.

Based on ISAF rankings, second ranked women’s match racer, Claire Leroy of France, sets the standard for this year’s racing.

She will be challenged by #7 ranked Betsy Alison (USA), #8 ranked Jenny Axhede (SWE), and local Bermuda Olympian and defending Bermuda International Women’s Match Race Champion, Paula Lewin (BER), ranked #10.

Klaartje Zuiderbaan (NED), currently in top form on the womens circuit and ranked #23, returns for her second Bermuda Women’s Championship and Giulia Conti of Italy, comes in ranked #26 on the ISAF list.

Kuko Sakudo-Horikawa (JPN), unranked in the July 28th ISAF, will come to Bermuda a relative newcomer to match racing as a skipper.

Every team in the event will take home some of the $25,000 prize money this year.

With the 2004 increase, 1st place now takes $8000, 2nd $4050, 3rd $3400, 4th $2900, 5th $2400, 6th $1900, 7th$1400 and 8th $950.

About The Cicada International Women's Match Racing Championship 2004: www.cicadaracing.com

The Cicada International Women’s Match Racing Championship 2004, scheduled for October 16-19, 2004, is set in Hamilton Harbour just off the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. The harbour course is a perfect venue for shore-side spectators, with commentary provided by match race expert and voice of many America’s Cup competitions, Peter Montgomery.

Cicada will present the prizes on Tuesday October 19th, and the winner and runner up will be invited to participate in the Investors Guaranty presentation of The King Edward Vll Gold Cup Match Racing Tournament.

The event will consist of two stages. The first stage is a Preliminary round robin. Stage two is a Semi Final and Final knock-out series decided by the first team to score 2 points.

The Organizing Authority may change the format, terminate or eliminate any round, when conditions do not permit the completion of the intended format. Courses will consist of windward/leeward legs with starboard roundings and a downwind finish.

The Bermuda Department of Tourism: Official Host Sponsor:

http://www.bermudatourism.com