The Dutch Women’s Match Racing Team Wins in Lysekil

The Dutch Women’s Match Racing Team Wins in Lysekil
– Östling defeats Palludan in petite finalDutch Olympian Renée Groeneveld and her crew won Lysekil Women’s Match, the 2nd stop on the 2017 WIM Series, by beating Pauline Courtois, FRA, 3 – 1 in Saturday’s final:
“My crew did a very good job today, to keep the boat going in all the very intense matches. It was really tough,” says Groeneveld.
Defending Champion and local hope Anna Östling of the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club, took the bronze after a 2 – 0 score against Trine Palludan, DEN, in the petite final.

When Saturday’s racing kicked off with the semi finals on the waters of off Släggö in Lysekil, on the beautiful Swedish west coast, it was obvious that the racing temperature had risen. Within just a few metres distance, the delighted spectators were able to follow the world’s foremost match racing women in extremely tight and exciting fights. With a prize purse of SEK 300 000 (USD 37 000), and coveted WIM Series points at stake, no one wants to give even a millimetre, but finally both semis finished 3 – 1 in the favour of Courtois and Groeneveld.

Then the Dutch and the French team had to face each other in the final, starting exactly when clouds with rain and increasing breeze came in over the racecourse. Groeneveld won the first fight, but Courtois immediately broke back to 1 – 1:
“I think we had a quite comfortable lead, but Pauline came with pressure from behind on the last downwind, and managed to pass us at the finish,” says Groeneveld, who then secured her victory by winning two straight matches.“Honestly we made no big mistakes today, but not even small ones are acceptable when facing Renée. She’s done an amazing job all week,” Courtois praises her opponent.

After the semi finals it was evident that home sailor Anna Östling wouldn’t defend her Lysekil title from last year. Instead she had to reload to avoid becoming fourth:
“Of course we had much rather raced in the final, but now we’re satisfied with a podium position. We’re very happy that we focused and delivered in the bronze matches, though we didn’t really have the speed advantage we’re used to. It’s always fun to conclude an event with a few wins” says Östling, who advances to second place in the WIM Series as half of the events are done.

The World Championship silver medal at the beginning of the summer, and the triumph here in Lysekil, takes Groeneveld & Co to the top of the WIM Series leader board. Trine Palludan is in third, on the same points as Östling, while Courtois holds fourth place. Thanks to her 5^th place in Lysekil, Swede Caroline Sylvan advances to the same place on WIM Series. Events in Korea in November and US Virgin Islands in December still remain.

Results in the Final of Lysekil Women’s Match:
Pauline Courtois, FRA – Renée Groeneveld, NED, 1 – 3

Results in the Petit-Fnal of Lysekil Women’s Match:
Anna Östling, SWE – Trine Palludan, DEN, 2 – 0

Results in the Semi-Finals of Lysekil Women’s Match:
Trine Palludan, DEN – Pauline Courtois, FRA 1 – 3
Anna Östling, SWE – Renée Groeneveld, NED 1 – 3

Overall Results of the 2017 Lysekil Women’s Match (Team – Skipper & Crew – Nationality; Prize Money; WIM Series Points):

1. Dutch Match Racing Team –
Renée Groeneveld, Marcelien Bos-De Koning, Lobke Berkhout, Marije Kampen, Mijke Lievens

– NED; 100 000 SEK; 25
2. Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team –
Pauline Courtois, Maëlenn LeMaître, Louise Acker, Margot Vennin, Albine de la Valette

– FRA; 47 000 SEK; 22
3. Team Anna –
Anna Östling, Karin Almquist Knigge, Linnéa Wennergren, Annie Wennergren, Annika Carlunger

– SWE; 39 500 SEK; 20
4. Team Kattnakken –
Trine Palludan, Josefine Boel Rasmussen, Helle Jespersen, Trine Bentzen, Maria Reinhold

– DEN;31 000 SEK; 18
5. New Sweden Match Racing Team –
Caroline Sylvan, Louise Kruuse af Verchou, Klara Ekdahl, Frida Langenius, Malin Holmberg

– SWE; 27 500 SEK; 16
6. ChicaCER Women Match Racing Team –
Alexa Bezel, Fiona Testuz, Manon Kivell, Bérénice Charrez, Nicole Bolliger

– SUI; 24 000 SEK; 14
7. Team Bergqvist Match Racing –
Johanna Bergqvist, Isabelle Bergqvist, Johanna Thiringer, Ellinor Hansson, Fanny Edgren

– SWE; 19 000 SEK; 12
8. L2 Match Racing Team –
Marinella Laaksonen, Susanna Kukkonen, Daniela Rönnberg, Camilla Cedercreutz, Eva-Lotta Hokkonen

– FIN; 13 000 SEK; 10
9. Peregrine Racing –
Linnéa Floser, Hanna Ericksson, Sara Edholm, Charlotte Eklund, Karin Ahlgren

– SWE; 0 SEK; 8
10. Athena Racing –
Octavia Owen, Ruby Riggs, Amber Riggs, Hebe Hemming, Louise Lindkvist

– GBR; 0 SEK; 7
11. Team Sköna Vibbisar –
Antonia Degerlund, Carla Westersund, Janina Hallberg, Roosa Wederhorn, Lisa Gerkman

– FIN; 0 SEK; 6

2017 WIM Series Standings after two events (Skipper, team, nationality, WIM Series points):

1. Renée Groeneveld, Dutch Match Racing Team, NED, 47
2. Anna Östling, Team Anna, SWE, 38
3. Trine Palludan, Team Experience, DEN, 38
4. Pauline Courtois, Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team, FRA, 34
5. Caroline Sylvan, New Sweden Match Racing Team, SWE, 26
6. Marinella Laaksonen, L2 Match Racing Team, FIN, 26
7. Lucy Macgregor, Team Mac, GBR, 25
8. Johanna Bergqvist, Team Bergqvist Match Racing, SWE, 20
9. Alexa Bezel, ChicaCER Women Match Racing Team, SUI, 14
10. Mikaela Fors, Pen & Hammer Sailing Team, FIN, 14
11. Antonia Degerlund, Team Sköna Vibbisar, FIN, 11
12. Linnéa Floser, Peregrine Racing, SWE, 8
13. Octavia Owen, Athena Racing, GBR, 7
14. Margot Riou, APCC Women’s Sailing Team , FRA, 7
15. Martina Karlemo, Team Karlemo, FIN, 6
16. Sanna Häger, Stockholm Match Racing Team, SWE, 4
17. Ekaterina Kochkina, Team SailWay, RUS, 3