Dutch round-robin win in U.S. Virgin Islands

– Groeneveld to choose quarterfinal opponent for Saturday

“We’ll take a good look at the round-robin score sheet, and then make our pick,” says Renée Groeneveld, however waiting until Saturday morning to reveal her choice.
The Dutch match racing star earned her right to select quarterfinal opponent by winning the round-robin of the Carlos Aguilar Match Race, the 5th and final event of the 2016 WIM Series, 10 – 1. The only skipper to defeat Groeneveld was Pauline Courtois of France, one of her four contestants for the 2016 WIM Series runner-up position. All the others – Stephanie Roble (USA), Caroline Sylvan (SWE) and Josefine Boel Rasmussen (DEN) – also made it through to the quarters.

With two of the 2016 WIM Series podium finishes still up for grabs, the conclusion of the round-robin on the beautiful waters of Charlotte Amalie harbour, showed some extraordinary tight and exciting racing. The match between Groeneveld and Courtois was certainly not an exception to that, but different from the Dutch skipper’s other matches in the way that it was the French skipper who took an early command. A key situation occurred as the match reached the bottom mark, and ran into the prestart manoeuvrings by the pair in the following match.

Courtois intelligently used the disorder surrounding the mark, perfectly executed her rounding and came out of the difficult situation with an even stronger lead than before:
“We used the boats in the other match to our advantage, and from there on we could just stretch away from Renée,” says the French skipper, who secured her quarterfinal spot to remain in the fight for the overall 2016 WIM Series podium places.
“We had an overlap at the rounding, but Pauline locked us out so we couldn’t gybe to reach the mark. And after her smart move it was sort of game over for us,” sighs Groeneveld, still happy with her round-robin performance.
“Yes, we’ve been working very good as a team, generally with solid sailing. We know we’ll have to do really well during the weekend, to have a chance in the overall WIM Series results,” she comments.

Stephanie Roble and her Epic Racing team finished the round-robin on second place, with just one win less than the Dutch winners. A particularly difficult fight for the Americans was the one against Caroline Sylvan of Sweden:
“I think we beat ourselves in that match, not using the opportunities enough. But there were good learning moments, that make us better for the next rounds,” says Roble.
“Our race against Stephanie certainly was a great one. If we keep on improving in that way, we’ll be able to go very far in this regatta,” says Sylvan, who also beat compatriot and reigning World Champion Anna Östling in their match.

Josefine Boel Rasmussen, substitute skipper of Danish Team Ulrikkeholm, had a tough day with six matches in a row on the U.S. Virgin Island waters. She was virtually thrown into the skipper position earlier this week, as Trine Palludan had to head back home due to a family emergency. But after many years on different positions on board, Boel Rasmussen is no stranger to high-level competition on the WIM Series. And she’s taken on her new task with great dedication:
“It’s definitely a great feeling to have the support from the rest of the girls in my team” says Boel Rasmussen.

The Carlos Aguilar Match Race, the 5th and final event of the 2016 WIM Series, continues Saturday with the quarterfinals and the 9th to 12th place sail-offs, in the Charlotte Amalie harbour of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

Results in the round-robin of the Carlos Aguilar Match Race, the 5th and final event of the 2016 WIM Series, in St Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (name, nationality, wins – losses). The first eight move on to the quarterfinals:
1. Renée Groeneveld, NED, 10 – 1
2. Stephanie Roble, USA, 9 – 2
3. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 7 – 4
4. Nicole Breault, USA, 7 – 4
5. Anna Östling, SWE, 7 – 4
6. Josefine Boel Rasmussen, DEN, 6 – 5
7. Pauline Courtois, FRA, 5 – 6
8. Antonia Degerlund, FIN, 5 – 6

9. Sandy Hayes, USA, 4 – 7
10. Johanna Bergqvist, SWE, 3 – 8
11. Morgan Collins, USA, 2 – 9
12. Linnea Floser, SWE, 1 – 10

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The Women’s International Match Racing Series (WIM Series) is the first and only professional sailing series for women, hosted by the Women’s International Match Racing Association and joined by the world’s leading women match racing sailors. Match racing is sailed in two identical boats around a short course, providing fast action close to the crowds on shore. The intense racing is just as exciting for the spectators as it is strategically, tactically and physically challenging for the competing crews.

An overall prize purse of 50 000 USD will be distributed by the WIM Series in addition to the prize money at each of the four events included in the 2016 WIM Series (date, event name, location, boat type):

• June 27 – July 1, Helsinki Women’s Match, Helsinki, Finland, J/80.
• August 8 – 13, Lysekil Women’s Match, Lysekil, Sweden, DS 37.
• September 20 – 25, Women’s Match Racing World Championship & Buddy Melges Challenge, Sheboygan, USA, Elliott 6m.
• October 25 – 29, Busan Cup Women’s International Match Race, Busan, South Korea, K30.
• December 1 – 4, Carlos Aguilar Match Race, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, IC 24.

The WIM Series is hosted by WIMRA. Official suppliers are Sailnet, Sebago, MILK, Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan, Adstream, Intertidal Ventures, Fredag and Match Racing Results Service.

Images: A number of hi-res images are available for download on www.wimseries.com/media/
Videos: All videos are available on www.wimseries.com/videos

More information about the Women’s International Match Racing Series:
WIM Series Press Officer Joakim Hermansson, , +46 70 604 25 04
WIM Series Manager Liz Baylis, , +1 415 691 6202
www.wimseries.com
www.facebook.com/WIMSeries
www.twitter.com/WIMSeries
www.youtube.com/WIMRSeries
www.instagram.com/WIMSeries

Carlos Aguilar Match Race (CAMR). Namesake for the late Carlos Aguilar, who was an avid Virgin Islands’ sailor and match racer, the CAMR traditionally features highly ranked men’s and women’s match racing teams. Past winners of the Open Division in the CAMR reads like a Who’s Who of sailing: the USVI’s Taylor Canfield (2008, 2015), USVI’s Peter Holmberg (2009), Portugal’s Alvaro Marinho/Seth Sailing Team (2010), USA’s Sally Barkow (2011), Finland’s Staffan Lindberg (2012) and the USA’s Don Wilson (2013). Women’s Division winners are just as renowned: the USA’s Genny Tulloch triumphed in 2008 and 2010 and France’s Claire Leroy in 2009. The CAMR is known internationally for introducing young sailors to the sport, working cooperatively with the V.I. government and V.I. Department of Tourism in its efforts to get more of the island’s youth out on the water.

Images: A number of hi-res images are available for download on
www.carlosmatchrace.com/index.html#press

More information about the Carlos Aguilar Match Race:
CAMR Co-Director Bill Canfield, , +1 340 626 0239
CAMR Co-Director Verian Aguilar Tuttle,
CAMR Press Officer Carol Bareuther, , +1 340 774 2736 or +1 340 998 3650
www.carlosmatchrace.com
www.facebook.com/CarlosAguilarMatchRace
www.instagram.com/CarlosAguilarMatchRace