Winner in Dubai, Betsy ALISON (USA) had to settle for second place this time, with Dorte JENSEN  (DEN) scoring the first of three successive World titles. In Florida the following year ALISON was again amongst the medals but this time Marie BJÖRLING (SWE) provided JENSEN with her closest challenge. The following year on Lake Ledro, Italy, BJÖRLING again finished as runner up to the Dane, with another of this year’s competitors Lotte MELDGAARD PEDERSEN (DEN) in third.

In 2002 the World Championship moved to Calpe, Spain and with JENSEN leaving the match racing circuit to focus on an Yngling Olympic campaign, the field looked wide open. Having lost twice to JENSEN is the previous two finals, BJÖRLING went to Calpe aiming for that elusive World title. After winning the opening and quarter-final round robin and successfully progressing through her semi-final match she entered the final as a clear favourite. However BJÖRLING had to be content with a third successive silver medal as Liz BAYLIS (USA) defeated her 2-1 to take the World crown.

The following year the title did go to Sweden, but it was Malin MILLBOURN who took the honours on her home waters in Sundsvall. She defeated BJÖRLING in the semi final before edging a tight title contest with MELDGAARD PEDERSEN 3-2. For BJÖRLING there was some consolation as she overcame BAYLIS to take the bronze medal.

After taking a break from the match racing circuit shortly after the 2003 Worlds BJÖRLING missed the Championship in Annapolis, USA last year. With six American sailors in the field, there looked like a great chance of home success. The wind died on the final day and cut the competition short, leaving Sally BARKOW (USA), the lowest Ranked of all the competitors, to take the title ahead of fellow American ALISON, with current #1 in the ISAF World Match Race Rankings Claire LEROY  (FRA) scoring her best Worlds’ finish to date in third.

In 2005, Bermuda hosted the championship and BARKOW successfully defended her title in a bumped year for the American skipper in which she also won the 2005 Yngling World Championship. Fellow American ALISON added to her collection of silver medals from the Championship with world #1 skipper LEROY taking third place.

Copenhagen, Denmark was the host city for the 2006 title and JENSEN was tempted back to the fray by the chance to compete on her home waters. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Scandinavian teams dominated, with JENSEN winning an unprecedented fourth World Championship title, again defeating BJÖRLING in the final. Linda RAHM (SWE) completed the podium.

After years of dominating the Women’s ISAF World Match Race Rankings, LEROY finally claimed the ultimate prize in 2007. Competing at her home yacht club in St Quay, France, the French skipper triumphed to become the 2007 ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Champion. Australia’s Katie SPITHILL finished as runner up to become the first skipper from Oceania to win a medal at the championship, with Denmark’s MELDGAARD PEDERSEN in third.

LEROY dominated the competition at Auckland in 2008 to successfully retain her title. American BAYLIS claimed the silver medal, with Finland’s Silja LEHTINEN completing the podium.