ISAF World Match Race Rankings May 2011
by International Sailing Federation on 19 May 2011
SW
ISAF World Match Race Rankings for May 2011 have been released and there is no change at the top of the Open Match Race Rankings.
Lucy MacGregor (GBR) returns to the number one position of the Women's rankings.
The European match racing season is in full swing with the 2011 World Match Racing Tour kicking off in France and two ISAF Sailing World Cup regattas adding points to the women's Rankings.
Open Rankings
There is no change at the top of the Open Rankings with Ben Ainslie (GBR) staying at number 1 ahead of Adam Minoprio (NZL) at number two.
Ian Williams (GBR) returns to number three after taking victory at the VII Open de Espana in Calpe defeating Pierre-Antoine Morvan(FRA) in the final. Morvan went on Match Race France, the first event of the 2011 World Match Racing Tour in Marseille where he finished fifth and climbs two places to a career best of number six in the world.
It was an all French final in Marseille with Damien Iehl up against Bertrand Pacé. Iehl eventually took the win and subsequently climbs two places up the rankings to number nine. Pace, an ex world number one, continues his return to the rankings and climbs a further 13 places up to number 19.
Iehl’s accolades include the title 2009 ISAF Nations Cup champion and this rankings it is Laurie Jury from New Zealand who enters the Nations Cup stage, claiming victory at the Oceania Regional Final. Jury climbs four places to number 25 as a result.
Just behind Jury and new to number 32 is Mahesh Ramchandran, the new Indian National Champion after their Grade 3 event at the start of the month.
Women's Rankings
Lucy Macgregor (GBR) returns to the top of the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Rankings today after claiming victory at the Semaine Olympique Française in Hyères. Claire Leroy (FRA) slips down to number two, her fourth at both Hyères and Palma do not add any points to her overall total.
The big gain is by Sally Barkow (USA) who moves up five places to match her lifetime best of number three. Barkow won gold at the Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia MAPFRE and silver in Hyères to add some valuable points to her total. The double ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Champion (2004 and 2005) has not been ranked in the top three since May 2006 and is clearly laying down her challenge to represent the US in 2012.
Another World Cup medal in Hyères sees Renee Groeneveld (NED) move up one place to number four while Nicky Souter (AUS) moves down three places to number five after a less than characteristic performance in Palma and Hyeres. It has been a busy time for Souter’s crew Olivia Price and Nina Curtis who last weekend qualified Australia for the ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final after wining the Oceania Regional Final. Price moves up 22 places to number 38 as skipper.
The ISAF Grade 1 Women’s Match Race Criterium in Calpe, Spain has also contributed to some shifts in the rankings with winner Anne-Claire Le Berre (FRA), also counting points from her sixth place in Palma and climbing three places to number seven. Silver medallist Tamara Echegoyen (ESP) dominated racing in Calpe but could not hold off Le Berre in the final but she climbs four to number 13.
The Chinese challenge for 2012 is in full swing with Ru Wang one of the highest climbers in this release. A silver medal from the Grade 3 Eurosaf European Championships qualification event sees her climb 55 places up to number 78.
The next release of the ISAF World Match Race Rankings will be 6 July 2011.
ISAF World Match Race Rankings
Match racing - Open - Wednesday 18 May 2011