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BSPORT ISAF Woman's Match Racing Worlds
Well Done to Josie Gibson & Team an ANDARK sponsored sailor
Report from Josie Below
 This year the Woman’s match racing Worlds were held in Auckland, in Elliott 6s. These boats are not sailed in the UK, in fact or in Europe so team Gibson, sailing for the Royal Thames Yacht Club, travelled to Australia 2 weeks before the Worlds to compete in a feeder event with the aim of learning how to sail the boats. The Harken run Sydney event was certainly a test for us and the extreme heat and jetlag did not favour the team however we learnt a great deal and the focus event was yet to come. The team was fresh for the start of the Worlds and had a stable first days racing. Something had clicked and were getting to grips with the boat. The second day was a challenge for us but the team sailed into 5th to qualify for the quarters, having beaten some of the top seeds in the last day of the round robin. We convincingly beat Silke Hahlbrok, from Germany, in the quarter finals to gain a place in the Semi finals. We were up against Claire Leroy from France, the defending champion in the semis and her team beat us to go on to the finals. The last day of racing brought fickle breeze and Claire was announced reigning Champion for 2008 without sailing any races in the final. This also meant there was no opportunity to race for 3rd place, placing us 4th on count back. The event was tough shown by many of the top seeds being knocked out in early stages so we are extremely pleased to have repeated our 4th position on last year.
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