Saturday, June 7, 2014

J/80 Women’s Match Race World Championship

J/80s sailing women's match race worldsTop Prize Money for Worlds Top Women Sailors
(Cork, Ireland)- This week, many of the world’s top women sailors are competing in the ISAF Women’s World Match Racing Championships hosted by Royal Cork YC in that famous harbour of Cork, Ireland.  The women will be sailing a fleet of matched J/80s that are part of Royal Cork YC’s sailing program for children and adults.

The Women’s Match Racing Worlds will have a prize fund of 10,000 Euro to be allocated to the top sailors (the winner garnering 3,000 Euros!).  Chairman of the event, Ronan Enright comments, “by having a prize fund shows the commitment this event has to attract some of the world’s best women sailors, it also shows how fortunate we are to have sponsors like Cork County Council and Port Of Cork without whom we could not run such events”.

J/80s sailing match-racing in IrelandThirteen international teams are participating, including Danish Sailor Camilla Ulrikkeholm, World #1 in the Women’s World Matching Racing Rankings. The USA entry, Stephanie Roble with her team Epic Racing, are also in deep preparation for their trip to Ireland and has been practicing with the US Youth Squad and some of the top US coaches including Dave Perry and Taylor Canfield.

Great racing is expected with strong competition for the prize fund on offer. Spectators are guaranteed some nail biting sailing – all from the comfort of Camden Fort Meagher in Crosshaven. Not only will spectators be treated to breath taking views of Cork Harbour, enjoy a coffee from the Fort’s Cafe they will have unrivaled viewing point for the best racing to be seen in Cork Harbour this year.

Steph Roble, top USA women’s match racing sailor, had this to say regards their campaign, “the team arrived to Cork yesterday afternoon and busted out of our travel daze to get on the water for a few hours. Our focus was to become acquainted with the venue’s tides geographic features as well as smooth out onboard communications and timing. This afternoon we have the official practice day in the J/80s. We are looking forward to putting our hard work into play against some of the other teams and continue learning more quirks about the venue. The race area will be the north side of Cork Harbor where there is A LOT current and the surrounding hills will make for very shifty conditions. We are all set to go! We are feeling fresh and confident going into racing this week. We had two great days of training in Annapolis on the J/World J/80s against Nevin Snow’s team with coach Dave Perry and onboard coach Taylor Canfield.”  You can follow Epic Racing's Facebook daily updates here.    For more J/80 ISAF Women's Match Race Worlds sailing information