(from the ISAF website - www.sailing.org)

France continues to dominate at the top of the ISAF World Match Race Rankings as Mathieu RICHARD and Claire LEROY hold on to the world #1 spots.

Both French skippers hold significant leads over their nearest rivals after an impressive start to their 2008 seasons. Their success is just the pinnacle of a very impressive performance from the French match racing team, who count a total of six skippers in the world top ten across the Open and Women’s Rankings. With wins at the ISAF Women’s Match Racing Worlds and most recently on the World Match Racing Tour, the French have set the benchmark for the 2008 season. Now it is up to the chasing pack to respond.

The next release of the ISAF World Match Race Rankings will be on 25 June, following the ISAF Grade WC Korea Match Cup.

Women’s Rankings

New events included in this Ranking release:

Grade 1 – International Women’s Match Race Criterium, ESP
Grade 2 – Brasil Women’s Cup, BRA
Grade 3 – Portuguese Women’s Match Racing Championship, POR
Grade 3 – Sundance Cup, USA

Claire LEROY (FRA) extends her unbroken run at the top of the women’s ISAF World Match Race Rankings to over two years and her lead is looking stronger than ever. A windless ending at the ISAF Grade 1 International Women’s Match Race Criterium in Calpe brought to an end the French skipper’s winning streak of four consecutive ISAF Graded events, but second place in Spain means she extends her lead over world #2 Lotte MELDGAARD PEDERSEN (DEN) again. LEROY’s advantage at the top is now a massive 977 points.

MELDGAARD PEDERSEN finished fourth at the Criterium to consolidate her world #2 spot, whilst Katie SPITHILL (AUS), sixth in Spain, is also unchanged at #3. Germany’s Silke HAHLBROCK was the undoubted star of show, stringing together a very impressive series of results in the round robin - including what proved to be a decisive victory against LEROY - to win her second ISAF Grade 1 event. The German skipper is the big mover at the top in this Ranking release, gaining four places up to #4.

Further back there are two new entries into the world top 20. Both Sandy HAYES (USA), up from #24 to #16, and Mathilde GERON (FRA), up from #25 to #18, achieving career-best Rankings after podium finishes at the ISAF Grade 2 Brasil Women’s Cup in Vitoria. Cup winner, Caroline BEJAR (BRA) gains 11 places up to #28. Not only is this BEJAR’s Ranking-best performance, it’s also the highest Ranking ever achieved by a South American skipper on the Women’s Rankings - a terrific boost for match racing on the continent ahead of the 2009 ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final, which will be hosted in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Another high riser is Portugal’s Maria RAMIRES, up 14 places to #37. She finished sixth in Brazil and narrowly missed out on the podium at the ISAF Grade 3 Portuguese nationals, won for the second year running by Rita GONCALVES (POR). At #78 Molly CARAPIET (USA), winner of the ISAF Grade 3 Sundance Cup in Texas, is the highest of five new entries in this Ranking release. They help the total Women’s Ranking list increase to a record 211 skippers.

ISAF World Match Race Rankings - www.sailing.org/mrrankings