Line Up Announced

World #1 Claire LEROY (FRA) heads the line up for the 2007 ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship on her home waters in St Quay Portrieux, France. Twelve skippers from nine nations will contest the title, with a new name on the trophy guaranteed.

Reigning World Champion Dorte JENSEN (DEN) is unable to defend her title, as she will be taking a maternity leave from the match racing circuit, thrusting LEROY into position as red hot favourite to lift her first World Championship title. The French skipper has held in the top spot in the Women’s ISAF World Match Race Rankings for almost two years and won the ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final for France last year. She has twice won bronze medals at the 2004 and 2005 Worlds, although came a disappointing eighth last year after putting a hole in the bow of Christelle PHILIPPE‘s (FRA) boat.

PHILIPPE, silver medallist at the 2006 European Championship, is the second French skipper who will line up. Her and LEROY are sure to have plenty of support, but have a very tough line up to overcome to secure a home win, not least in world #2 Lotte MELDGAARD PEDERSEN (DEN), fourth at the Worlds last year and a silver medallist in 2003. World #3 Klaartje ZUIDERBAAN (NED), world #4 Silke HAHLBROCK (GER), Jenny AXHEDE (SWE) and Gemma FARRELL (GBR) complete a strong European challenge.

Katie SPITHILL (AUS) and Nicky SOUTER (AUS) lead a double-pronged Australian attack for the World Championship title. Whilst the two have both competed at previous Worlds, and have both crewed for one another, this will be the first time that the two skippers go head-to-head against each other at the Worlds. Wildcards Jessica SMYTH (NZL) and Sandy HAYES (USA) complete the line up.

The ninth ISAF Women’s Match Worlds takes place from 6-11 August at the Sport Nautique de Saint Quay-Portrieux.

Line Up
(ISAF World Match Race Ranking)

• Claire LEROY (FRA) – 1


• Lotte MELDGAARD PEDERSEN (DEN) – 2


• Klaartje ZUIDERBAAN (NED) – 3


• Silke HAHLBROCK (GER) – 4


• Katie SPITHILL (AUS) – 6


• Jenny AXHEDE (SWE) – 7


• Josie GIBSON (GBR) – 9


• Christelle PHILIPPE (FRA) – 11


• Nicky SOUTER (AUS) – 12


• Gemma FARRELL (GBR) – 13


• Jessica SMYTH (NZL) – 16


• Sandy HAYES (USA) – 19

Previous Winners

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