ISAF World Match Race Rankings - Women

by ISAF on 30 Mar 2006 Claire LEROY (FRA) remains at the top of the Women’s ISAF World Match Race Rankings for the ninth consecutive release, maintaining a dominant lead above second place of nearly 700 points. LEROY retained her title at the ISAF Grade 3 JPMorgan Fleming Women's Challenge in Great Britain to consolidate her number one spot, whilst neither Marie BJÖRLING (SWE), nor ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Champion and World number three Sally BARKOW (USA) have competed in match racing events this year.

Nina BRAESTRUP (DEN) and Klaartje ZUIDERBAAN (NED) also remain unmoved in positions four and five, but the after securing second place in Britain, Jenny AXHEDE (SWE) climbs up three places into sixth.

Aussies On The Up.
Two new entries into the top ten follow on from the ISAF Grade 2 Harken Women's Match Racing Championship, with fourth place Christelle PHILIPPE (FRA) moving up from twelfth to ninth. Meanwhile adding to the success of her male compatriots is Harken winner Nicky SOUTER (AUS), who moves up six places to ten, to grab Australia’s first top ten spot since August last year.

Adding to the Aussie success is Katie SPITHILL (AUS), runner up to SOUTER at the Harken Championship and moving up three places from 19 to 16. Nina CURTIS (AUS), Adele FREAN (AUS) and Jessica EASTWELL (AUS) all also move up thanks to their performances, whilst Sam BOYD (AUS) makes big gains from 86 to 45 after finishing sixth at the Harken Championship and third at the ISAF Grade 4 Marinassess Women's Match Racing Regatta. Two new Aussie entries, Lucinda WHITTY (AUS) and Hannah NATTRASS (AUS) also make the top 100 after competing at both Marinassess and Harken.

British Success.
Another high riser this release is Britain’s Lucy MACGREGOR (GBR), who put in a classy display on her home waters to finish third at the JPMorgan Challenge and consequently moves up from 63 to become Britain’s number three sailor in the Rankings at 40. Just ahead of her at 38 is Gemma FARRELL (GBR), who scored fourth at the Challenge to move up ten places, whilst sixth place sees Britain’s only top 20 skipper Josie GIBSON (GBR) fall one place to 18.

The next Ranking period will see the first Women’s ISAF Grade 1 regatta of the year, with LEROY lining up along with defending champion ZUIDERBAAN and four more of the World top ten at the Women's International Criterium in Calpe, Spain. Calpe should offer an fascinating taste of what is to come, with the next major meeting for the world’s best women match racers, the Dexia Private Banking ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship in Copenhagen, Denmark from 24-28 May.