ZUIDERBAAN Tops Leaderboard After First Round Robin : World Sailing

Klaartje ZUIDERBAAN (NED) continued to show the form the brought her the ISAF Grade 1 Women Trentino Match Race title last year as the opening round robin concluded on Lake Ledro, Italy today. Behind her Lotte MELDGAARD PEDERSEN (DEN) leapfrogged number one in the ISAF World Match Race Rankings Claire LEROY (FRA) by winning all of her remaining matches.

The teams are still out on the water as the second round robin begins, but after eleven matches each, the favourites for the semi final places are already emerging. A single loss today to MELDGAARD PEDERSEN was ZUIDERBAAN's first of the event, although the Dutch star made up for it with a win over LEROY to end the round robin with a 10-1 record and knock the French sailor back into third place overall on 8-3. MELDGAARD PEDERSEN's win over ZUIDERBAAN was one of three today for the Dane who finished the round robin second on 9-2.

ISAF Women's Match Racing World Champion Sally BARKOW (USA) put in a solid performance to score two more victories to end the round robin tied on points with LEROY, although she stays in fourth due to her loss in their match yesterday. The French pair of Christelle PHILIPPE and Anne-Claire LE BERRE are right on the heels of the top four on 7-4 records, with PHILIPPE in particular performing well today to score four wins.

A little further back there were contrasting fortunes for Sandy HAYES (USA) and Ekaterina SKUDINA (RUS) who both finished the round robin on 5-6 records. Whilst the American lost all her matches today, SKUDINA suffered only a single loss and scored four wins, an impressive second day in her first ever ISAF Graded match racing event.

Claire LEROY dropped to third
place after two losses today
© Graziano Marchi/
fotoemmebi.com

Further down the leaderboard Undine HOPSCH (GER) scored her first win of the event, although victory for the German came at a price for the home crowd who saw the sole Italian entrant, Ines MONTEFUSCO (ITA) relegated to last place as a result.

Women Trentino Match Race Standings
(After Round Robin One)

1. Klaartje ZUIDERBAAN (NED), 10-1
2. Lotte MELDGAARD PEDERSEN (DEN), 9-2
3. Claire LEROY (FRA), 8-3
4. Sally BARKOW (USA), 8-3
5. Christelle PHILIPPE (FRA), 7-4
6. Anne-Claire LE BERRE (FRA), 7-4
7. Sandy HAYES (USA), 5-6
8. Ekaterina SKUDINA (RUS), 5-6
9. Linda HARSJO (SWE), 3-8
10. Charlotta THORELIUS (SWE), 2-9
11. Undine HOPSCH (GER), 1-10
12. Ines MONTEFUSCO (ITA), 1-10

Original story…

Last year's winner Klaartje ZUIDERBAAN (NED) made a perfect start at the ISAF Grade 1 Women Trentino Match Race on Lake Ledro, Italy, winning all eight of her matches to top the leaderboard. Yesterday's opening day also saw number one in the ISAF World Match Race Rankings Claire LEROY (FRA) and ISAF Women's Match Racing World Champion Sally BARKOW (USA) score six wins as the favourites made the early running.

2003 ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championship runner up, Lotte MELDGAARD PEDERSEN (DEN) also scored six wins in the J/22s yesterday, although with both her and BARKOW recording two loses and LEROY just one, the Frenchwoman holds the advantage.

ZUIDERBAAN is set to face LEROY and MELDGAARD PEDERSEN for the first time today although a lack of wind has delayed the start of racing.

After her recent victory at the ISAF Grade W Yngling World Championship in Austria, BARKOW started the competition on a high and her only two loses yesterday came against the two highest Ranked sailors in the event, LEROY and ZUIDERBAAN.

Christelle PHILIPPE (FRA) and Sandy HAYES (USA) also performed well with five victories a piece. However things proved tougher for number one in the Yngling ISAF World Sailing Rankings Ekaterina SKUDINA (RUS), in her first ISAF Graded Match Race event. Just one win against bottom placed Undine HOPSCH (GER) and five losses puts the Russian down near the bottom of the leaderboard.

Once the wind picks up racing is set to continue today, with a double round robin scheduled before semi finals and the final on Saturday.

Women Trentino Match Race Standings

1. Klaartje ZUIDERBAAN (NED), 8-0
2. Claire LEROY (FRA), 6-1
3. Lotte MELDGAARD PEDERSEN (DEN), 6-2
3. Sally BARKOW (USA), 6-2
5. Anne-Claire LE BERRE (FRA), 5-2
6. Sandy HAYES (USA), 5-4
7. Christelle PHILIPPE (FRA), 3-3
8. Linda HARSJO (SWE), 2-6
9. Ekaterina SKUDINA (RUS), 1-5
10. Ines MONTEFUSCO (ITA), 1-6
10. Charlotta THORELIUS (SWE), 1-6
12. Undine HOPSCH (GER), 0-7