Busan Cup Women's International Match Race skippers announced

by Mark Chi/ISAF on 22 Oct 2009 The Busan Cup Women's International Match Race to be held from 30 October to 4 November has finalized their list of skippers for the 2009 ISAF Grade 1 women's match race.

The teams are made up of nationals from 10 countries making this a truly international event. The regatta expects to draw much more attention this year following the inclusion of women’s match racing in the 2012 London Olympics.

World’s Top-ranked Claire Leroy (FRA) will head a list of elite sailors vying for the cup this year. She returns along with Sally Barkow from the USA who won last year’s inaugural cup by defeating Leroy in the finals 3-0.

Also coming back is Elizabeth Baylis, president of the Women’s International Match Racing Association (WIMRA). She will also conduct the WIMRA North U Match Racing Clinic which will be held from October twenty-sixth to the twenty-eighth.

Due to the resounding success of the 2008 race, this year’s version was able to attract the best teams in the sport today. Other confirmed participants in the world ranking top ten include Lucy Macgregor from the GBR, Anne-claire Le Berre (FRA), and Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen from Denmark.

Representing the Asian region, Japan’s Urara Fujii, the Japan’s reining Match Race champion, and hometown girl Hye-won Park will return after doing well in the 2008 race.

The race will also include up-and-comers Susanne Ward from Denmark and Annelies Thies of the Netherlands, as well as match racing veteran Martina Karlemo of Finland. Tylinska Katarzyna of Poland will also return to round out the field of 12 teams.