Skandia Sail for Gold - Weymouth and Portland, Great Britain

It was endurance that was tested at Skandia Sail for Gold today. The British weather turned it on for the Queen’s 60th Jubilee celebrations with steady and occasionally torrential rain, cold temperatures and a steadily increasing breeze. It was a day to test the focus and commitment of even the toughest of athletes.

Despite almost heroic efforts and another long day on the race course, the Women’s Match Racing didn’t get their round robin completed. The racing ended at flight 22, and there are four more flights to sail before the repecharge, so nothing is settled yet - but some are looking in better shape than others. The Russia team of Ekaterina Skudina, Elena Oblova and Elena Siuzeva have won nine of eleven races, not far behind are the British team of Lucy and Kate MacGregor, and Annie Lush, and the Australian team of Olivia Price, Nina Curtis and Lucinda Whitty - both teams have only lost two of ten races.

These three are currently contending the top of the leaderboard with the French team of Claire Leroy, Elodie Bertrand and Marie Riou with eight wins from eleven races. Also in contention are the Finns, Silja Lehtinen, Silja Kanerva and Mikaela Wulff with seven wins from ten races. While the surprise strugglers are the USA’s Anna Tunnicliffe, Molly Vandemoer and Debbie Capozzi - many people’s favourites ahead of the event, but currently with just five wins from ten races.

The Women’s Match Racing continues tomorrow at 10:00 local time at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy before the Medal Races bring the regatta to a close on Saturday 9 June.

Teams competing:
Anna Tunnicliffe, Molly Vandemoer, Debbie Capozzi - USA [ISAF Ranking = 1]
Lucy Macgregor, Annie Lush, Kate Macgregor - GBR [2]
Claire Leroy, Elodie Bertrand, Marie Riou - FRA [3]
Ekaterina Skudina, Elena Siuzeva, Elena Oblova - RUS [4]
Silja Lehtinen, Silja Kanerva, Mikaela Wulff - FIN [5]
Tamara Echegoyen, Angela Pumariega, Sofía Toro - ESP [7]
Renee Groeneveld, Annemiek Bes, Marcelien Bos-De Koning - NED [11]
Olivia Price, Nina Curtis, Lucinda Whitty - AUS [13]
Silke Hahlbrock, Vera Dubina, Irina Lotsmanova - GER [17]
Rita Gonçalves, Mariana Lobato, Diana Neves - POR [20]
Stephanie Hazard, Jenna Hansen, Susannah Pyatt - NZL [21]
Lotte Meldgaard, Susanne Boidin, Tina Gramkov - DEN [23]
Anna Kjellberg, Malin Källström, Lotta Harrysson - SWE [25]

ISAF Sailing World Cup Website : www.sailing.org/worldcup/home.php
Skandia Sail for Gold Website : www.skandiasailforgoldregatta.co.uk