ISAF World Match Race Rankings

In the Women’s Rankings, Claire LEROY (FRA) remains well ahead in the world #1 spot but behind her some of the big names from the women’s events at the Beijing Olympic Games are beginning to have an impact.

The next release of the ISAF World Match Race Rankings will be on 17 December 2008.

New events included in this Ranking release:

Grade 1 - Troia Portugal Women Cup, POR
Grade 1 - Ladies Match Cup, GER
Grade 1 - Rolex Osprey Cup, USA
Grade 2 - ISAF Nations Cup 2009 Regional Final - Asia, IND
Grade 2 - ISAF Nations Cup 2009 Regional Final - Europe 1, FRA
Grade 2 - ISAF Nations Cup 2009 Regional Final - Europe 2, FRA
Grade 2 - ISAF Nations Cup 2009 Regional Final - Oceania, NZL
Grade 3 - Swedish Championship Women, SWE
Grade 3 - Finnish Women’s Match Race Championship, FIN

Claire LEROY’s (FRA) reign at the top of the Women’s ISAF World Match Race Rankings continues whilst behind the French skipper there are two new entries into the world top five. . By LEROY’s own high standards her performance at the recent ISAF Grade 1 Rolex Osprey Cup was somewhat below par, with a third-place finish the worst result of another incredible year for the 28 year old French skipper. The 2007 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year, also a nominee for the 2008 Awards, and double ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Champion looks certain to reach the end the year in the world #1 spot for the fourth year running. However, with women’s match racing joining the events line up for the next Olympic Sailing Competition, LEROY is sure to face a new generation of competitors joining the circuit in a bid for glory at London 2012.

Behind LEROY, Linda RAHM (SWE) gains seven places to achieve her best-ever Ranking at #2. The Swedish skipper is enjoying a superb year so far, and chalked up wins at the ISAF Grade 2 Women’s Race in Denmark and then the ISAF Grade 1 Troia Portugal Women Cup to surpass her previous Ranking-best of #5. Silke HAHLBROCK of Germany and Denmark’s Lotte MELDGAARD PEDERSEN both drop one place to #3 and #4 respectively, whilst Finnish Beijing Olympian Silja LEHTINEN (FIN) moves up three places to #5.

For the second month running, the big mover at the top is British skipper Lucy MACGREGOR, who gains another six places to enter at the world top 10 for the first time at #7. Along with RAHM, MACGREGOR is currently the form sailor on the women’s circuit having won the ISAF Grade 1 Ladies Match Cup and the ISAF Nations Cup Regional Final for the Europe 2 grouping. A runners up finish in Portugal along with a semi-final appearance at the Rolex Osprey Cup help her equal the best-ever Ranking performance by a British skipper since Shirley ROBERTSON (GBR) held the world #1 spot in April 2000.

Following Anna TUNNICLIFFE’s (USA) triumph at the US Women’s Match Racing Championship and LEHTINEN’s recent gains, other Beijing Olympians making an impact on the Rankings this month are Italy’s Giulia CONTI and the USA’s Debbie CAPOZZI. CAPOZZI defeated LEROY on the way to the final of the ISAF Grade 1 Rolex Osprey Cup, but there met her match in CONTI, who repeated her 2005 triumph in St Petersburg. As a result, CAPOZZI jumps 21 places up the Rankings to #41, whilst CONTI gains 22 places to #49.

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