Please select your home edition
Edition
Hellamarine-Apelo-A3-@2x_1456x180px TOP

2023 Women's World Match Racing Tour - Day 1: Pushing the limits in Normandy

by Women's WMRT 28 May 02:04 PDT 26-29 May 2023

A fresh breeze in Le Havre Normandy tested the eleven all-women international teams yesterday competing at the Normandie Match Cup, Stage 3 of the 2023 Women's World Match Racing Tour. Finishing the two-day round robin, local favourite Pauline Courtois and her Match in Pink team led the qualifying stage with nine wins from ten matches. The top eight teams now advance to the quarterfinals.

After a long and challenging day of racing in sunny conditions and a brisk 15-18 knot breeze from the north, the round robin matches saw plenty of action in the pre-starts as well as lively downwind runs in the matched fleet of J80's.

Chasing Courtois with equal points until their last race of the day against each other was Sweden's WINGS team skippered by Anna Östling and her regular crew of Annika Carlunger and Linnea Wennergren, with Klara Wester and Martina Carlsson joining the team this week in Normandy.

Fresh from the team's recent win at the second stage of the Women's WMRT at the Santa Maria Cup in Annapolis, Östling and crew were revelling in today's conditions:

"We really enjoyed the tricky conditions today with a lot of breeze at the top mark" commented Östling, "but you really have to be on your toes all the time with these boats. It was a great effort by the girls onboard however and some good starts for us today made all the difference - we're looking forward to the next few days!"

Finishing an impressive third in the round robin is Julia Aartsen and her 'Out of the Box' team from Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Aarsten finished the round robin with 7 wins and only 3 losses, tied with New Zealand's Megan Thomson/ 2.0 Racing.

"We are loving sailing here" said Aartsen, "we are usually more lighter wind sailors but we have been doing well here which is great, we were training on J70's before the event which are similar and that has helped us for sure."

The Quarter Finals continue today from 1030 CEST. Follow live results here.

Overall positions after the Round Robin:

1. Pauline Courtois 9-1
2. Anna Östling 8-2
3. Julia Aartsen 7-3
3. Megan Thomson 7-3
5. Kenza Coutard 6-4
6. Celia Willison 4-6
6. Nicole Breault 4-6
8. Ali Morrish 3-7
8. Lea Richter Vogelius 3-7
10. Kristine Mauritzen 2-8
10. Sophie Otter 2-8

Related Articles

2023 KDY Women's Match Race Overall
WINGS clinch Denmark win and Women's World Tour title Sweden's WINGS match racing team led by Anna Östling have been crowned 2023 Women's World Match Racing Tour champions after winning the final stage of the tour at the KDY Women's Match Race in Skovshoved Harbour. Posted on 25 Sep
2023 KDY Women's Match Race - Chasing the double
Anna Östling and WINGS crew won all of their six races today Anna Östling and her tenacious WINGS crew today won all of their six races to regain joint lead of the qualifying stage at the KDY Women's Match Race, the final stage of the 2023 Women's World Match Racing Tour, hosted by the Royal Danish Yacht Club. Posted on 22 Sep
Kiwi women on the ascent
James Boyd caught up with Celia Willison at Cowes While New Zealand has spawned some of the world's most famous male match racing skippers - Chris Dickson, Russell Coutts, Dean Barker, Adam Minoprio, Phil Robertson - female Kiwi skippers have made less of an impression...until now. Posted on 19 Sep
Women's Match Racing Worlds in Denmark overall
Pauline Courtois wins third match racing world title in a row Superlight winds made it difficult to finish the 2023 Women's Match Racing World Championship finals. French skipper and now triple world champion made winning look easy. Posted on 7 Jul
Women's Match Racing Worlds in Denmark Day 3
Swedish skipper injured after a spectacular crash in the hunt for gold Already littered with spectacular capsizes and impressive sailing, the 2023 Women's Match Racing World Championship proves that women are not afraid to go full throttle when they fight for the gold medal. Posted on 7 Jul
Women's Match Racing Worlds in Denmark Day 2
World Champion undefeated after two days of racing A low pressure with thunderstorms, lightning, and strong winds was predicted to hit the racing area Wednesday afternoon, so an early start could make it possible to catch up on some of the flights that were cancelled on the first day. Posted on 6 Jul
Women's Match Racing Worlds in Denmark Day 1
World Champion Pauline Courtois and Lea Richter Vogelius in front The first day of racing at the 2023 Women's Match Racing World Championship - powered by Bunker One - got off to a flying start in a solid breeze. Posted on 5 Jul
Women's World Match Racing Tour Normandy overall
Pauline Courtois defends title with her Match in Pink team French female match racer Pauline Courtois and her Match in Pink Normandy Elite team proved unstoppable yesterday as they defended their Normandie Match Cup title in Le Havre, France, Stage 3 of the 2023 Women's World Match Racing Tour. Posted on 30 May
Women's World Match Racing Tour Normandy day 2
Megan Thomson brings the Kiwi magic Megan Thomson and her 2.0 Racing Team from New Zealand have qualified to the final at the Normandie Match Cup in Le Havre, Stage 3 of the 2023 Women's World Match Racing Tour, after a close semi-final match against Sweden's Anna Östling/ WINGS Sailing. Posted on 29 May
2023 Santa Maria Cup Match Racing overall
Team Wings victorious in Annapolis Sweden's Team WINGS won the all-women Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Santa Maria Cup today in Annapolis, the second stage of the 2023 Women's World Match Racing Tour. Posted on 4 May
T Clewring One Design 728x90 BOTTOMArmstrong-Logo-Only-728x90 gif BOTTOMRooster 2023 - Aquafleece Robe - FOOTER