Exciting matches in sunny Helsinki
– Danish Ulrikkeholm Klinkby alone at the top
The Danish long-time World #1 Camilla Ulrikkeholm Klinkby showed today in Finland that routine and experience are key factors in match racing. With five wins she’s the only undefeated skipper, already sitting alone at the top of the leader board of the Helsinki Women’s Match:
“We had some trouble with the timing today, but we’re really happy to be match racing again after the long break since the 2015 WIM Series final in Korea last October” says Ulrikkeholm Klinkby.
The grey skies, the cold winds and the heavy rain during Monday’s practise session, were all forgiven and forgotten as the round-robin of the Helsinki Women’s Match got underway with the first matches today. In bright sunshine and a warm and somewhat shifty south-westerly breeze around 10 – 12 knots, the crews manoeuvred their boats in thrilling fights, just metres from the cheering crowds at the beach-walk bars and restaurants. Hernesaari (Ärtholmen), situated in the southern part of the Finnish capital Helsinki, is nothing but a perfect arena for match racing, marking an exciting premiere for the 2016 Women’s International Match Racing Series.
Among a dozen participating teams from half as many countries, Camilla Ulrikkeholm Klinkby and her team immediately took command. But the Danish winning streak almost came to an end when they met the French skipper Pauline Courtois, in the last match of the day:
“We timed the start badly and let Pauline take the lead. She kept it through the first upwind and down to the bottom mark approach, before we could roll her and drive her far away from the mark. Then we kept her behind us all the way to the finish line” Ulrikkeholm Klinkby describes.
“It was our mistake. We had some problems with our spinnaker, and that cost us first the lead and finally also the match” Courtois admits.
Apart from that defeat, the French World # 6 skipper was quite happy with her Tuesday, now sharing the runner-up position with no less than three other crews:
“We really enjoyed the great match racing conditions, with winds that shifted a little in strength and direction, just to make the racing challenging and interesting”.
The highest ranked Finnish skipper is also the highest placed so far in the Helsinki Women’s Match. With three wins against two losses, local hope Marinella Laaksonen stays on sixth place:
“This is our first WIM Series event, and we didn’t really know what to expect. Some of the other teams we’ve never raced before, and that’s always challenging” she explains.
“We had some tight matches and learned a lot, so we’re of course looking forward to the rest of the week” she concludes.
Results in the Helsinki Women’s Match, the first event of the 2016 WIM Series, after day 1 of the round-robin (skipper, nationality, wins – losses):
1. Camilla Ulrikkeholm Klinkby, DEN, 5 – 0
2. Renée Groeneveld, NED, 4 – 1
2. Pauline Courtois, FRA, 4 – 1
2. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 4 – 1
2. Anna Östling, SWE, 4 – 1
6. Marinella Laaksonen, FIN, 3 – 2
7. Antonia Degerlund, FIN, 2 – 3
7. Rikst Dijkstra, NED, 2 – 3
9. Susanna Kukkonen FIN, 1 – 4
9. Sanna Mattsson, SWE, 1 – 4
11. Diana Kissane, IRL, 0 – 5
11. Sanna Häger, SWE, 0 – 5
The racing continues Wednesday with the round-robin on the waters at Hernesaari (Ärtholmen), to be followed by quarterfinals, semi finals and then the conclusion with the final on Friday, July 1.
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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. The WIM Series is hosted by WIMRA. Official suppliers are Sailnet, Sebago, MILK, Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan, Adstream, Intertidal Ventures, and Match Racing Results Service.
Images: A number of hi-res images are available for download on www.wimseries.com/media/
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
Nyländska Jaktklubben, NJK, was founded in 1861 and is with more than 2 000 members and numerous yacht racing accomplishments the leading Finnish Yacht Club. NJK has trained several Olympic champions, and has a great heritage within match racing. The event venue of the Helsinki Women’s Match will be close to the shore in the southern part of the town, near Eira and Hernesaari (Ärtholmen) areas. The former industrial site of Hernesaari is transforming into a residential area, and thanks to the great sea views, the Hernesaaren ranta restaurant complex and the Löyly public sauna, the place has quickly become popular.
More information about the Helsinki Women’s Match:
Helsinki Women’s Match Press Officer Leena Vento-Selen, , +358 50 389 46 00
www.njk.fi/sailingcenter/2016-helsinki-womens-match
