Lysekil Women's Match Day 4 - Four team ready for semi-finals
by Women's International Match Racing Series 9 Aug 2019 14:07 PDT
5-10 August 2019
The quarter finals are done and four teams will compete in becoming 2019's World Champion in Match Racing.
There was a late start to the quarter finals due to no winds what so ever in the morning, but by lunch-time the wind kicked in. Four teams headed out to fight in the first flights of the quarter finals:
Team Björkqvist Match Racing went head to head with Claire Leroy and her Mermaid Sailing Team, and Groeneveld with Dutch Match Racing Team took on Anna Östling with her crew WINGS.
For Clair Leroy and Johanna Bergqvist the flights were tight, and the quarterfinal-series needed a fifth and final race to determine which team would go on to the semi-finals.
It was Leroy who took the first two matches, which put pressure on Team Bergqvist Match Racing, leading up to the third race. The Swedes managed to turn the scores around and tie, taking the series to a fifth race. And what a race - both teams delivered, ending with Leroy managing to cross the finish line just before Bergqvist. Disappointment for the young Swedes.
- We had the chance, but unfortunately, we could not pass her today, says Johanna Bergqvist after missing out on the semi-finals.
Clair Leroy is pleased after reaching their goal, getting through to the semi-finals after a tough battle with Team Bergqvist:
- It was close, they were always coming back and we had a tight game. It was one of the best quarter finals I have ever sailed. They sailed well, but today we were a little bit better, but not much.
In the second quarterfinal, WINGS, with skipper Anna Östling took the first race against Renée Groeneveld, but with three straight wins the Dutch turned the quarter finals around, eliminating the Swedish team, and joining Leroy in the next round.
After a day of waiting it was finally time for the remaining four teams to hit the water.
Reigning World Champion, Lucy Macgregor, who sailed through Round Robin with 10 wins and only one loss, was eager to get out.
- We had no races yesterday, so it was really good to get on the boat and back in rhythm again.
Facing off with Nicole Breault, Lucy Macgregor showed everyone why she is the reigning two time World Champion, when they secured a spot in the semi-finals after sailing home three in a row.
- We won them by a fair way in the end, but the wind was very light and I think all of us concentrated pretty hard to make sure we secured it, says Lucy Macgregor after making it to the final day.
A day full of though races awaits in the morning, staring of with the semi-finals deciding who will make it on becoming 2019's World Champion.
Semi-finalists: (skipper, team, ranking, nation)
Lucy Macgregor, Team Mac, 18, (GBR) - 2018 World Champion
Pauline Courtois, Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team, 1, (FRA)
Claire Leroy, Mermaid Sailing Team, 13, (FRA)
Renée Groeneveld, Dutch Match Racing Team, 20, (NED)