Ulrikkeholm extends her lead in Lysekil Women’s Match
– the Dane has just lost one single match

Through confident sailing Danish titleholder Camilla Ulrikkeholm has extended her lead in Lysekil Women’s Match. She wins the first completed round-robin after just one single loss, in Wednesday’s match against Dutch Mandy Mulder:
– Mandy pushed us over the starting line too early, so we had to return. Then we never really caught her again, Camilla Ulrikkeholm says.
– With Camillas knowledge of the boat and her extremely good boathandling, we knew we had to get a secure lead already from the start, and that’s exactly what we did, a smiling Mulder explains her tactics.

The wind conditions on Wednesday afternoon made the race committee chose a shorter course with three laps instead of the normal two. With three matches going on at the same time, it sometimes was a little bit crowded on the racecourse. A shorter course sometimes also makes it more difficult for the not leading boat to slip out of a difficult situation, something local sailor Marie Björling Duell experienced. She started her Wednesday in a great way, with three won matches, but then finished with two straight losses. Young Caroline Sylvan concluded a bad day with her only victory against fellow Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club member Marie in the last match of the day:
– In the beginning of the day we made too many mistakes, but in the match against Marie everything was OK and we controlled her from start to finish, says Caroline, who ends the first round-robin on three victories and a sixth place.
– The wind was tricky at the end, and we were slowed down first by a broken genoa sheet block and then a winsch override, Marie excuses herself at the same time as she praises her opponent for a good race.
– Caroline got a lead that she managed to administer very well, says Masrie, who is third so far on five victories, one less than Mulder and two from Ulrikkeholm.

Alexa Bezel is used to shifty conditions on her home waters Lake Zürich, exactly as on the Lysekil waters during Wednesday. With three won matches and just one loss during Wednesday, she is now on the same points as Björling Duell, but stays on fourth place in the total list due to her loss against Marie in their match.
– We had a great day, but got a little tired from all waiting time, the Swiss says, referring to the many boat exchanges and course changes.
American star Sally Barkow from Wisconsin came in late to the event, and missed her Monday practising session in the 37 feet and 4 000 kg DS 37 boats, normally sailed only in Denmark and Sweden. But during Wednesday she found the key to the boat and is now fifth in the competition with four victories and as many losses.
– We are a new team who haven’t raced together before, but every day we get better. By the end of the week we will be dangerous, she promises.

Event standings in Lysekil Women’s Match after day 2, first round-robin completed. Place/name/nationality/victories/lost matches:
1. Camilla Ulrikkeholm, DEN, 7 – 1
2. Mandy Mulder, NED, 6 – 2
3. Marie Björling Duell, SWE, 5 – 3
4. Alexa Bezel, SUI, 5 – 3
5. Sally Barkow, USA, 4 – 4
6. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 3 – 5
7. Petra Kliba, CRO, 2 – 6
8. Silvia Roca Mata, ESP, 2 – 6
9. Anna Kjellgren, SWE, 2 – 6

Lysekil Women’s Match continues Thursday with another round-robin.

Lysekil Women’s Match is with a 300 000 SEK (45 000 USD) prize purse the largest yearly event for women match racing sailors, concerning the mix of spectators, publicity and prize money. In match racing the crews meet two by two in exciting duels that can easily be followed and understood by the spectators.
Ten of the world’s leading women match racing sailors participates in the seventh issue of Lysekil Women’s Match, August 6-11 2012, arranged by Sailnet Lysekil AB in cooperation with Lysekils SS Gullmar.

Main sponsor for Lysekil Women’s Match is Preem. Midroc, Phonera, Musto, Svitzer and Liros are partners, and the municipality of Lysekil host city.

For more information including news and photos:
www.lysekilwomensmatch.se
www.facebook.com/lysekilwomensmatch