Russian Match Racers March On

Weymouth and Portland, Great Britain

Russia’s Ekaterina Skudina maintained her 100% record in the Women’s Match Racing competition after another light wind day at the Weymouth and Portland International Regatta, the London 2012 Olympic Test Event.

Skudina won gold at Kieler-Woche and narrowly missed out on a top three spot in the ISAF Sailing World Cup series by virtue of podium places with Sally Barkow pipping her to third spot. But the Russian has been in fantastic form since she got to Weymouth brushing Anna Kjellberg (SWE), Olivia Price (AUS), Rita Goncalves (POR) and Silja Lehtinen (FIN) aside today to be the only match racer to head into the last day of the Round Robin with a perfect record.

Lehtinen entered the second day of racing with a 100% record but she was defeated in her first race of the day by the in-form Skudina. Nonetheless the Finnish sailor went on to defeat Sally Barkow (USA), Lotte Meldgaard (DEN) and Claire Leroy (FRA) to head into the third days sailing and the final day of the Women’s Match Racing Round Robins with a 7-1 record.

Great Britain’s Lucy Macgregor bounced back following a disappointing opening day which saw the Brit win one out of four races. But on day two Macgregor, sailing with Annie Lush and Kate Macgregor, won all four of her races to move back into the mixer for a Quarter Final place. On Great Britain’s morning racing Lucy Macgregor said, "It was a very enjoyable day as we got four out of four wins. It is a new regatta tomorrow."

Sally Barkow (USA) and Mandy Mulder (NED) won three races each and lost the other on the second day. Barkow has a record of 5-2 and Mulder sits 5-3 having raced an extra race after the final flight on day one was postponed until day three.

Leroy (FRA) has a 4-3 record after a split day which saw the French girl win two races and lose two. Despite losing all of her races on day two Kjellberg remains in contention for a Quarter Final place after the Swede won all of her races on the opening day to sit on a 3-4 record.

Towards the bottom of the Round Robin matrix Silke Hahlbrock (GER), Price (AUS) and Goncalves (POR) all have a 2-5 record and Meldgaard and Tamara Echegoyen (ESP) have won one race and lost the remaining seven.

The Women’s Match Racing Round Robins conclude tomorrow as the eight Quarter Finalists are decided. The Men’s and Women’s RS:X sailors start the fleet racing action with two races scheduled to start at 12:00 local time.

The Laser, Laser Radial and Men’s and Women’s 470 fleets also take to the water tomorrow for their practice races.

Olympic Test Event Microsite : http://www.sailing.org/london2012/2011-test-event.php

Results can be viewed by clicking on "Click here for the latest results from Women’s Match Racing" in the left pane on the Olympic Test Event website.