Sheboygan Yacht Club welcomes the world elite this week

The Women’s International Match Racing Series (WIM Series). The Women’s Match Racing World Championship. The Buddy Melges Challenge. Three coveted and prestigious events in a perfect match, beginning on Lake Michigan on Wednesday.

WIM Series Champion Stephanie Roble and U.S. Women’s Match Racing Champion Nicole Breault are the local hopes, here to defend the Stars & Stripes.

“This is our home event and we love coming here,” Roble said. “We all learned how to match race here in Sheboygan, and we’re ready to finish first here.”

“We’re really excited to have this chance to race some of the top female match racers in the world,” said Nicole Breault.

All 27 sailors in nine teams enjoyed the most perfect sailing conditions during Tuesday’s practice sessions on Lake Michigan with moderate winds and bright sunshine just outside the Sheboygan Yacht Club and the Sheboygan South Pier. But the forecast for the remainder of the week isn’t that promising, with some showers and maybe thunder expected.

“You can get just about anything out there,” said Maggie Shea, crewing for Roble in Epic Racing. “We’ve had a lot of light air days, so we anticipate some of that. But you can also see fog, or 6-foot swell and 20 knots of breeze. That’s the beauty of Lake Michigan, it’s totally unpredictable.”

Wednesday, all the crews are race mode, beginning the event with a double round-robin, followed by quarterfinals and semis later in the week, and then the final on Sunday. Sheboygan hosts one of only four U.S. Sailing Centers, and is the site for international match racing. Sail Sheboygan and SEAS have been very instrumental in the development of women’s match racing, not just in the USA, but also worldwide.

”The Sheboygan Yacht Club is honored and excited to be hosting a 2016 WIM Series event and the World Championship,” said Denise Cornell, Vice Commodore of the Sheboygan Yacht Club. “Our members are supporting this event in a variety of ways, from race management and umpiring to shore support and community outreach. We look forward to meeting the competitors and showing them that Sheboygan Yacht Club truly is ’The friendliest club on Lake Michigan!’”

In Sheboygan, the competitors will race in the Elliott 6m, in the exact same fleet of boats that were used in the 2012 Olympics. Sail Sheboygan takes great pride in the maintenance of their fleet of boats, and probably the sailors will not find a better maintained and fairer fleet of boats anywhere in the world.

“My team and I have made an effort to train in the Elliott 6Ms twice to prepare for this week, but the Elliott 6m is still relatively new for us,” Nicole Breault said. “We’ve learned a lot about how to sail the boat mechanically, but we’ll have to learn the nuances of the boat in a match race.”

Swedish skipper Anna Östling won the WIM Series event on her home waters in Lysekil a month ago. The coming week she will race in Sheboygan, with her crew of twin sisters Annie and Linnea Wennergren. Photo: Dan Ljungsvik/Lysekil Women’s Match.

This week is the Women’s International Match Racing Series (WIM Series) midway event, the Buddy Melges Challenge in Sheboygan. With a line-up of nine teams from six countries, the event also holds World Sailing status as the 2016 Women’s World Match Racing Championship. Swedish World #1 Anna Östling sits at the top of the WIM Series leaderboard, after two back-to-back victories in the previous events in Helsinki, Finland and Lysekil, Sweden:

“We’re looking forward to a good battle” said Östling, who will race in Sheboygan with her crew of twin sisters Annie and Linnea Wennergren.

Anna Östling’s lead over WIM Series 2016 runner-up and WIM Series 2014 overall winner, Camilla Ulrikkeholm Klinkby, currently equals to a dozen points. As the Danish skipper will not come to the Buddy Melges Challenge this year, it’s a golden opportunity for Östling & Co. to further stretch their lead. Quite soon, Ulrikkeholm Klinkby will have her second child, and instead of sailing she enjoys some family life and well-deserved rest from the tough life on the international match racing circuit:
“We’re aiming to be back on WIM Series for the final event, the Carlos Aguilar Match Race in US Virgin Islands in early December,” she said from home in Danish capital Copenhagen.

Pauline Courtois sits at third place on the WIM Series so far, and in the absence of Ulrikkeholm Klinkby the French skipper has a great chance to further climb the leaderboard.

Another skipper to defend the French colours in Sheboygan is World No. 3 Anne-Claire Le Berre, coming back to WIM Series after a maternity leave. Le Berre is the reigning French national match racing champion after consecutive wins in 2014 and 2015, and she finished last year with a win in Busan, Korea, for a podium position on the 2015 WIM Series:

“I had my second child in July, so I have to admit that we haven’t sailed very much this year,” said Le Berre, who will race with Alice Ponsar and Mathilde Geron. “But we still expect to be in the final in Sheboygan, because I have a very good crew and we know the boats very well. We’re really looking forward to some exciting racing in Sheboygan.”

One unique feature of the WIM Series is that each venue offers a different type of boat and with it a different number of crew. In Sheboygan the nine crews will be sailing the Elliott 6m, the exact same fleet of boats that were used in the 2012 London Olympics:
“These boats will be sailed with a crew of three, so it’s a pretty dramatic change from the crew of six that each team sailed with in the last WIM Series event in Lysekil” WIM Series Manager Liz Baylis concludes.

Standings in the 2016 WIM Series after two events out of five (skipper, nationality, WIM Series points):
1. Anna Östling, SWE, 50
2. Camilla Ulrikkeholm Klinkby, DEN, 38
3. Pauline Courtois, FRA, 36
4. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 32
5. Stephanie Roble, USA, 22
6. Marinella Laaksonen, FIN, 21
7. Renée Groeneveld, NED, 20
8. Lotte Meldgaard, DEN, 18
9. Sanna Häger, SWE, 14
10. Alexa Bezel, SUI, 12
11. Rikst Dijkstra, NED, 12
12. Johanna Bergqvist, SWE, 10
13. Antonia Degerlund, FIN, 10
14. Susanna Kukkonen FIN, 8
15. Diana Kissane, IRL, 7
16. Sanna Mattsson, SWE, 5

The 2016 Women’s Match Racing World Championship is ready to kick off racing on Wednesday. This year the Buddy Melges Challenge in Sheboygan, USA, the third event of the 2016 WIM Series, will be elevated in status and name and become the World Championship:

“As a long-time sponsor and supporter of women’s match racing, Sheboygan Yacht Club is thrilled to be welcoming some of the best sailors in the world back to our club and beautiful waterfront” said Denise Cornell, Vice Commodore of the Sheboygan Yacht Club.

The World Sailing Women’s Match Racing World Championship is an annual event that was first held in Genoa, Italy, in 1999, after a successful event was held as part of the 1998 ISAF Sailing World Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The winner in Dubai, American Betsy Alison, had to settle for second place in 1999, with Dorte O Jensen of Denmark scoring her first of three consecutive World titles. In 2006 Dorte O Jensen won again, and is with her four titles the most victorious Women’s Match Racing World Championship skipper ever.

The 2015 World Champion Lotte Meldgaard of Denmark will not be in Sheboygan to defend her title. Swedish skipper Anna Östling is in fact the only previous Women’s Match Racing World Champion to come to this year’s event, if 2002 World Champion Liz Baylis is not to be counted. However, Baylis is no longer on the starting line, but is now part of the management team for the regatta as well as chair of the World Sailing Match Racing Committee:

“Sheboygan offers a unique venue for the World Championship – the first fresh water venue to host the Women’s Match Racing World Championship. Although it is ‘lake sailing’ Lake Michigan is the size of many seas and when the wind whips up the waves can get big and the conditions challenging,” she said.

Skippers in the Women’s Match Racing World Championship & Buddy Melges Challenge, the third event of the 2016 WIM Series, in Sheboygan, USA (name, nationality, world ranking):

Anna Östling, SWE, 1

She started match racing on foredeck, but 32 years old Anna Östling of the Royal Gothenburg YC found her interest in helming rise. After her Olympic debut in Weymouth2012, she finished second in the 2013 inaugural WIM Series. In 2014 Anna became a mother for the first time, and just a few weeks later she took the World Championship title. She finished runner-up in the 2014 WIM Series, and has taken a firm grip on the 2016 WIM Series by winning the first two events. Anna is ranked World #1.

Anne-Claire Le Berre, FRA, 3

33 years old Anne-Claire Le Berre from Brest on the Atlantic coast of France is back on WIM Series after a short maternity leave. She’s been into match racing since 2005, with several triumphs in Grade 1-events, and is the reigning national match racing champion after consecutive wins in 2014 and 2015. Anne-Claire finished last year with a win in Busan, for a podium position on the 2015 WIM Series. She’s also done an Olympic campaign in the Yngling, and is not only a very skilled sailor, but also a naval architect.

Stephanie Roble, USA, 4

26 years old Stephanie Roble started sailing dinghies and scows out of Lake Beulah YC. Later she picked up match racing, and together with Maggie Shea she became in 2012 the first woman to win both the US Women’s and the Open Match Racing Championships. In 2014 Stephanie Roble won the Etchells Worlds and the US Women’s Match Racing Championships. 2014 and 2015 she finished third in the World Championships, and last year she and her Epic Racing Team took the WIM Series title.

Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 5

As “everybody else” in Sweden, 27 years old Caroline Sylvan began her sailing career in the Optimist and Europe dinghies, participating in Nordic and European as well as World Championships. After twice becoming national champion in Laser Radial, she began match racing in 2010 and immediately won the Youth National Championships. In 2012 Caroline reached the podium in the European Championships, and last year she took her second consecutive 4th place in Lysekil and finished 5^th on the WIM Series.

Pauline Courtois, FRA, 6

27 years old sport teacher Pauline Courtois from Brest started sailing at seven and racing at nine. She has been in match racing on different positions since 2011. In 2013 she finished runner-up when calling the tactics for Julie Bossard in the WIM Series event in Saint-Quay-Portrieux, and took a bronze medal in the national championships. Pauline made her skipper debut on the WIM Series in 2014, and opened the 2016 WIM Series season as runner-up in Helsinki in June, followed by 6^th place in Lysekil in August.

Renée Groeneveld, NED, 8

In the 2012 Olympic Games in Weymouth, now 29 years old Renée from Haarlemsche Jachtclub close to Amsterdam, reached the quarter finals. After a break from match racing since then, the Dutch skipper made her debut on WIM Series last year, posting 4^th places in Sheboygan and Busan. At the 2016 opening event in Helsinki she reached the podium, and is now aiming for the top spot in the World Championship in Sheboygan. When not sailing, Renée looks after customer service and planning at Vopak.

Nicole Breault, USA, 15

A history teacher with a Masters in Teaching and a Masters in Education, and a tutoring practice called the Salty Professor, 44 years old Nicole Breault from the St. Francis Yacht Club also finds some time to go match racing. At the beginning of her career she did bow or main and tactics, but nowadays she’s a successful helmsman. In 2015 Nicole won the US Women’s Match Racing Championship in Newport, as well as the prestigious Nations Cup in Vladivostok, Russia. Sheboygan is her first 2016 WIM Series event.

Samantha Norman, NZL, 41

Representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, 29 years old physiotherapist Samantha sailed a lot of match racing in 2005 – 2011. She won the inaugural Buddy Melges Challenge in 2009 and finished runner-up the year after. After a long break from sailing, she’s come back to match racing this year, winning the national championship in Waitemata Harbour. The Women’s Match Racing World Championship in Sheboygan will be her WIM Series debut. Kite surfing is Samantha’s favourite nowadays.

Elizabeth Shaw, CAN, –

As crew for Stephanie Roble’s Epic Racing, Elizabeth from Oakcliff Sailing won the 2015 WIM Series, and finished runner-up in the last event in Lysekil, Sweden. In this year’s Women’s Match Racing World Championship in Sheboygan, she will for the first time on the WIM Series helm her own team. Shaw has gained a lot of experience from many dinghy classes, as well as from one design racing and offshore boats. After Sheboygan she’s aiming to defend the WIM series title with the American Epic Racing team.

Four teams will compete in the Blind Match Racing World Championship in Sheboygan Sept. 19-25, raising awareness of adaptive sailing and bringing the action of competitive sailing to a one-of-a-kind dual event — they’ll sail at the same time as the Women’s Match Racing World Championships.

The teams, from the United States, Canada and Israel, are experienced sailors who have dedicated themselves to the sport and to the cause of blind sailing.

USA – Mark Bos, BJ Blahnik, Matthew Chao

I am a 51-year-old with two awesome sons and a wonderfully supportive circle of family and friends. These people are the ones who helped me achieve my successes. I lost my vision in a motorcycle accident in which I incurred several other life-changing injuries. After a couple of intense learning years, I developed the ability to turn these life-changing losses into life-changing gains and to adapt to whatever life presented me in a positive way. One of the most positive endeavors that I have participated in is competitive sailing. Team USA 2 has had the opportunity to sail in many regattas, which include but are not limited to: the 2009 blind fleet race World Cup championship in New Zealand, (bronze medal; B3 div.) the blind fleet race national, (3 regattas with 2 Bronze Metals,) the California invitational 2010, (2nd place) the Robbie Pierce regatta and other Sail Blind and non-disabled regattas.

Canada – David Brown, Brian Arther, Laura Cammidge

David Brown has been sailing for over 17 years along with an experienced crew, which has sailed together the past four years. In 2015 the team placed second in the Blind Match World Championship and third in 2014. David began his adventures in blind sports, with a group of friends, with alpine skiing before he found a passion for sailing. Laura Cammidge started sailing at a young age and participated in different water sports but found a love for sailing. She sails with blind and sighted crews hoping to be a more competitive sailor. Brian Arther learned to sail from his father and is  a bronze medalist in the Paralymipcs for swimming the 400m.

Israel – Elad Rosenzvieg, Zohar Halevi, Yaniv Elimelech

Elad Rosenzvieg and crew are experienced in racing Sonars. Elad has won several Israeli Championships against non-blind sailors.  This team took fourth in the National Championship in La Spezia, Italy, as part of the Homerus project. They have been training hard the last few months and are ready for the World Sailing Blind Match Racing Championship and can’t wait to enter the Lake Mighican water.

Great Britain – Lucy Hodges, Liam Cattermole, Vicki Sheen

Skipper Vicki Sheen: I started blind sailing at a young age thanks to RYA Sailability. Since that day I never looked back. I never thought sailing would be an option being born with photophobia nystagmus. Currently I am proud to say I am with the team World Blind Fleet Racing Champion 2015, winning B2 silver. I am also the current World B2 champion at Blind Match Racing and am looking forward to being back in Sheboygan to defend the title. Alongside racing, I organize GBR Blind Sailing, all the training, funding, and sighted support, which I am truly thankful for and we would not be where we are today with out them.

USA – Walter Raineri, Kris Scheppe, Scott Ford

USA 1 will be representing the United States of America in the 2016 Blind Match Racing World Championships on many levels. Geographically, we hail from all corners of the USA with coach Guy Mossman (sighted) hailing from Charleston, SC, Kris Scheppe (blind category B3 and jib trimmer) hailing from Naples, FL, Walt Raineri (blind category B1 and skipper) hailing from San Francisco, CA, and Scott Ford (blind category B1 and main trimmer) hailing from Traverse City, MI. Guy joins the team from Warrior Sailing, Kris is the America’s representative to Blind Sailing International and runs Blind Sailing Unlimited in the USA, Walt joins the team from the Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors, and Scott joins the team from Warrior Sailing. From most perspectives (sailing experience, age, background, and interest in the famous Sheboygan double brat with beer chaser), Team USA 1 is all over the spectrum, but each team member has joined together to form a bond to help each other pursue their passions for sailing and the beneficial effects it can have for all of them for their separate life journeys.