Quarterfinalists decided in Lysekil Women’s Match
– and Lucy Macgregor of Great Britain wins the WIMR Series

Four matches of the Lysekil Women’s Match round-robin still remains, but the quarterfinalists are already decided. Thursday morning will see Lucy Macgregor and ISAF world ranking number one, Danish Camilla Ulrikkeholm, in their last match of the round-robin. The winner of that match will win the round-robin.

By securing her quarterfinal slot in Lysekil, Macgregor will also be the first champion of the inaugural Women’s International Match Racing Series. At this point she cannot finish the Lysekil event lower than eighth place, and her competitors needed her to falter and finish in ninth or lower, for anyone else to take the Series’ title.
“We’re really pleased. It’s been very fun with the Series and we certainly enjoy being on the match racing scene. Personally I’m benefiting a lot for my Olympic Nacra 17 campaign” said Lucy, who on Saturday’s prize giving ceremony will receive 25 000 dollars and the Terry J Kohler Perpetual Trophy for her great performance this year.

Ulrikkeholm and Swede Anna Kjellberg are now the only skippers who can still reach the Women’s International Match Racing Series’ runner-up position, and its 15 000 dollar share of the prize purse. And they will both fight also for a share of the 50 000 dollar Lysekil Women’s Match prize purse, to be distributed on Saturday. Ulrikkeholm is the reigning champion in Lysekil, having won two consecutive events, and she declared on Wednesday’s press conference that she doesn’t at all like losing, not even one single match:
“I’m not pleased with our results so far, a loss is a loss and we don’t want them” the Dane said about her 7 – 2 record.
“But we really like the crowd on the cliffs. It’s our seventh event here in Lysekil, and they always give us a big hand”.
Kjellberg is currently sharing third place in the round-robin with French Claire Leroy, on a 6 – 3 score, just one victory behind Ulrikkeholm:
“Today we managed to stay calm and find the puffs as the wind dropped in the afternoon” said Kjellberg, who has been sailing all the Women’s International Match Racing Series’ events, gaining valuable experience.

Thursday morning the round-robin of Lysekil Women’s Match will be concluded, with the top eight advancing to the quarterfinals Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. Semi finals will be sailed Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, and Saturday afternoon will see the grand finale.

Standings in Lysekil Women’s Match 2013 after two days of round-robin. (The top eight are already through to the quarterfinals, but their order is still to be determined in the final matches of the round-robin.) Skipper, nationality, won/lost matches:
1. Lucy Macgregor, GBR, 7 – 2
1. Camilla Ulrikkeholm, DEN, 7 – 2
3. Anna Kjellberg, SWE, 6 – 3
3. Claire Leroy, FRA, 6 – 3
5. Ekaterina Skudina, RUS, 5 – 3
6. Anne-Claire Le Berre, FRA, 6 – 4
7. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 5 – 5
7. Johanna Larsson, SWE, 5 – 5

9. Claudia Pierce, NZL, 3 – 7
10. Alexa Bezel, SUI, 1 – 7
11. Anna Kjellgren, SWE, 0 – 10


Standings in the 2013 Women’s International Match Racing Series after four events, in France, Korea, Denmark and USA (skipper/nationality/WIMRS points). Macgregor, Kjellberg and Ulrikkeholm are fighting for the inaugural WIMR Series trophy, the Terry J Kohler Perpetual Trophy:
1. Lucy Macgregor, GBR, 66
2. Anna Kjellberg, SWE, 61
3. Stephanie Roble, USA, 47
4. Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, DEN, 44
4. Camilla Ulrikkeholm, DEN, 44
6. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 26
7. Tamara Echegoyen, ESP, 25
7. Klaartje Zuiderbaan, NED, 25
7. Claudia Pierce, NZL, 25
10. Julie Bossard, FRA, 22
11. Katie Spithill, AUS, 19
12. Alexa Bezel, SUI, 17
13. Merel Witteveen, NED, 15
13. Ekaterina Skudina, RUS, 15
15. Nicole Breault, USA, 10
16. Susannah Pyatt, NZL, 9
17. Milly Bennett, AUS, 8
18. Anna Kjellgren, SWE, 7
19. Madeline Gill, USA, 6
20. Anne Marit Hansen, NOR, 4
20. Sung-Eun Choi, KOR, 4
20. Morgane Dréau, FRA, 4

The inaugural 2013 Women’s International Match Racing Series is a professional sailing circuit, hosted by the Women’s International Match Racing Association for the world’s leading women match racing sailors. In match racing the crews meet one on one in exciting duels that can easily be followed and understood by the spectators.

An overall prize purse of 50 000 USD, as well as the Terry J Kohler perpetual trophy, will be distributed by the WIMR Series at the final event in Lysekil, Sweden, in addition to the prize money at each of the five events included in the WIMR Series (date, event name, location, boat type):
* May 15-19 – Saint Quay Women’s Match Racing – St Quay-Portrieux, France – Elliott 6m.
* June 5-9 – Busan Cup International Women’s Match Race – Busan, Korea – K 30.
* June 20-23 – Danish Open Ladies Cup – Copenhagen, Denmark – J/80.
* July 11-14 – New York Women’s Invitational – Oakcliff, New York, USA – SM 40.
* August 5-10 – Lysekil Women’s Match – Lysekil, Sweden – DS 37.

Lysekil Women’s Match is with a 300 000 SEK (50 000 USD) prize purse the largest yearly event for women match racing sailors, concerning the mix of spectators, publicity and prize money. The world’s leading women match racing sailors participate in the eighth issue of Lysekil Women’s Match, August 5–10 2013, arranged by Sailnet Lysekil AB in cooperation with Lysekils SS Gullmar. Main sponsor for Lysekil Women’s Match is Preem and Thun Tankers, with the municipality of Lysekil as host city.

Images: A number of hi-res images are available for download on http://www.wimrs.com/media/photo-galleries/lysekil-womens-match-photo-gallery/ or on http://www.lysekilwomensmatch.com/#!/press/pressbilder-2


More information about the Women’s International Match Racing Series:
www.wimrs.com
www.facebook.com/WIMRSeries
Twitter: @WIMRSeries #WIMRS

More information about Lysekil Women’s Match:
www.lysekilwomensmatch.se
www.facebook.com/lysekilwomensmatch
Twitter: @LWMLYSEKIL #LWM2013
Instagram: @LWMLYSEKIL #LWM2013