It is all about the girls this weekend (6-7 October) as seven all-female crews go head-to-head for the title of RYA Women’s National Match Racing champions at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.
With the 12th and last qualifying spot for RYA National Match Racing Series Finals at stake, there will be no holds barred as the girls go all out to win the right to put their skills to the test against the boys at the Finals later this month.
Skandia Team GBR World Yngling bronze medallists, Lucy MacGregor and Annie Lush both from Poole, line-up alongside Beijing Laser Radial hopeful Andrea Brewster in Team Three while Gemma Farrell skippers the top ranked boat for the event.
Numerous members of the Volvo RYA Keelboat Programme will also put their skills to the test on the J80s in Portland Bay while Pippa Girling, crewing under Anneka Smith in Team Seven, returns to British waters having been on Team GBR duty at the ISAF Team Racing World Championships in Spain last week.
The RYA National Match Racing Series consists of six qualifying events, which kicked off this year with the BUSA Championships in March. Winners of all qualifying events go through to the Championship Finals taking place at WPNSA from 12-14 October.
David Atkinson, RYA Racing Services manager said: “The quality of racing throughout the RYA National Match Racing Series so far has been excellent and with so much to race for this weekend, the women look likely to continue that trend.
“The standard of entries for the whole Series has been fantastic and to have more high profile names and talented sailors taking part in the Women’s Championships really bodes well for an exciting Finals weekend in two weeks’ time.”
Teams:
1) Gemma Farrell
2) Josie Gibson
3) Lucy MacGregor
4) Charlotte Lawrence
5) Hester Robertson
6) Mary Rook
7) Anneka Smith