News & Features | ISAF | World Sailing | Official Site : LEROY And MILLBOURN Make Impressive Starts

News

28 October 2005, 09:11 am

LEROY And MILLBOURN Make Impressive Starts

Rolex Osprey Cup 2005

St. Petersburg, Florida, USA

Light north easterly winds greeted the competitors at the start of the ISAF Grade 1 Rolex Osprey Cup in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA yesterday morning with favourites Claire LEROY (FRA) and Malin MILLBOURN (SWE) quickly finding their feet in the opening round robin. Along with Americans Elizabeth KRATZIG and Rachel SILVERSTEIN they won both their opening matches to take an early round robin lead.

With the wind dying late in the morning the third flight had to be abandoned, and despite a slight increase in the breeze in the afternoon, it dropped off again with racing eventually abandoned for the day at 1500 hours local time.

Osprey Cup holder and leader of the ISAF World Match Race Rankings LEROY began the defence of her title with wins against Ireland's Arabella DENVIR and last year's bronze medallist Giulia CONTI (ITA). Meanwhile 2003 ISAF Women's Match Racing World Champion and holder of the ISAF Grade 1 Swedish Match Cup MILLBOURN was recording victories over Anna TUNNICLIFFE (USA) and DENVIR. Both CONTI and TUNNICLIFFE fought back to record victories in the second flight, whilst KRATZIG and SILVERSTEIN both got the better of the highly ranked Sandy HAYES (USA), with KRATZIG adding a win against Linda HÄRSJÖ (SWE) and SILVERSTEIN one against Katy LOVELL (USA).

The competition is scheduled for a double round robin followed by first to three point semi finals and final, with racing set to continue through until Sunday.

Rolex Osprey Cup Standings

1. Claire LEROY (FRA), 2-0
2. Malin MILLBOURN (SWE), 2-0
3. Elizabeth KRATZIG (USA), 2-0
4. Rachel SILVERSTEIN (USA), 2-0
5. Giulia CONTI (ITA), 1-1
6. Anna TUNNICLIFFE (USA), 1-1
7. Sandy HAYES (USA), 0-2
8. Linda HÄRSJÖ (SWE), 0-2
9. Katy LOVELL (USA), 0-2
10. Arabella DENVIR (IRL), 0-2