Swede Linda Rahm won Lysekil Women’s Match
– world no 1 Claire Leroy defeated 3-2 after thrilling final matches

Lysekil, Sweden: Reigning world champion Claire Leroy has performed excellent through Lysekil Women’s Match, but in the final against Swede Linda Rahm, the defending champion, the French woman wasn’t good enough. Linda started with two victories, Claire broke back taking two matches, and then Linda in the fifth match could secure her second straight title:
– We’re simply better when it really counts. I feel so happy, Linda shouted, praising her crew for their skills and team work.
– They had to repair my poor starts a number of times. I don’t think we have ever sailed as fast as this before, she laughs.
– We won all the starts and made a great come back after Linda’s first two victories, but she had better speed than us so it was hard to stay in front, Leroy comments.

The final matches of Lysekil Women’s Match were really thrilling and exciting for the large audience on the cliffs of the beautiful Swedish west coast archipelago:

Final match 1: Claire starting well ahead, leading all the way round the course but being passed just before the finishing line by Linda, winning with half a boatlength.

Final match 2: Linda penalised in the start, when both the competitors are in tight manouvers just metres from the crowded spectator cliffs. Linda is starting late, but is soon gaining distance on Clair and managing to take her penalty. On the last downwind Claire looses her grip enough for Linda to pass and win by small margin.

Final match 3: Heavier winds and a 3 lap course. Very tight match with a short distance between the boats, who several times are changing in the leading position. Claire gets penalised but manages to make her turn at the last rounding, without letting Linda pass her. In spite of intense attacks from Linda during the last downwind, Claire wins the match.

Final match 4: Linda is very aggressive in the prestart, getting penalised twice and having to make one of the turns immediately. She is starting far behind Claire, but manages to gain 25 seconds, take her remaining penalty and yet keep in contact with Claire. After an intense fight on the last downwind, Claire wins the match with just inches.

Final match 5: Linda gets a little advantage in the start, but Claire is before her when they meet the first time. At the first setting Claire doesn’t get her spinnaker hoisted fast enough, and Linda stretches away a little. Then she is able to keep Claire behind for the rest of the match, winning Lysekil Women’s match for the second year in a row.

– I think this will help us advance on the world ranking, Linda says, soaking wet from champagne and a bath in the harbour.
Before the final Claire Leroy had only lost two matches, but for the third time she was now placed second in Lysekil Women’s Match:
– We have now been so close so many times that it must be our turn next year when the world championship is to be sailed here in Lysekil, Claire says.

In the petit final experienced Dane Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen defeated the young Lucy Macgregor from Great Britain in two straight matches:
– We turned 0-2 to 2-2 in the semi final against Linda, but then we lost the fifth deciding match. We have to get back next year and do better then, Lotte says.
– We are pleased to reach the semi finals, it has been a great experience. We really enjoyed the event and we would definitely like to come back, Lucy Macgregor says.

Semifinal results:
Claire Leroy, FRA, 3 – Lucy Macgregor, GBR, 0
Linda Rahm, SWE, 3 – Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, DEN, 2

Matches for 3rd prize:
Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, DEN, 2 – Lucy Macgregor, GBR, 0

Total results in Lysekil Women’s Match 2008, with prize money:
1. Linda Rahm, SWE, SEK 100 000, € 10 463
2. Claire Leroy, FRA, SEK 62 000, € 6 487
3. Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, DEN, SEK 51 000, € 5 336
4. Lucy Macgregor, GBR, SEK 42 000, €4 394
5. Jenny Axhede, SWE, SEK 37 000, € 3 871
6. Katie Spithill, AUS, SEK 32 000, € 3 348
7. Camilla Ulrikkeholm, DEN, SEK 28 000, € 2 929
8. Anna Kjellberg, SWE, SEK 20 000, € 2 092
9. Silke Hahlbrock, GER, SEK 16 000, € 1 674
10. Elisabeth Baylis, USA, SEK 12 000, € 1 255
11. Sabrina Gurioli, ITA
12. Anne-Claire Le Berre, FRA

Following her victory in Match Cup Sweden on Marstrand and ending second in Lysekil Women’s Match, Claire Leroy also won the Marstrand Lysekil Women’s Double trophy.

Lysekil Women’s Match, sailed July 29 – August 2 2008, is with a SEK 400 000 (€ 43 000 and $ 67 000) prize purse the largest women match racing event in the world. Twelve of the most skilled women match racing skippers are every summer competing in Lysekil Women’s Match, arranged by Sailnet Lysekil AB and the local yacht club Lysekils SS Gullmar. Main sponsors are oil company Preem and shipping company Stena Bulk, with the municipality of Lysekil, Carpe Diem Beds of Sweden, Musto, Evidens and Ridderheims as partners. In 2009, Lysekil Women’s Match will have World Championship status.
For further information see www.lysekilwomensmatch.se